| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The proverb opens with khakmot {חַכְמ֣וֹת | ḥaḵ·mōṯ} “wisdoms” and nashim {נָ֭שִׁים | nā·šîm} “women” functioning as a personified attribute. The verb banta {בָּנְתָ֣ה | bā·nə·ṯāh} “she built” forms a clause with beitah {בֵיתָ֑הּ | bē·ṯāh} “her house” as object. The adversative veivelet {וְ֝אִוֶּ֗לֶת | wə·’ī·ḇe·leṯ} “but a foolish woman” marks contrast. Instrumental agency appears in beyadeha {בְּיָדֶ֥יהָ | bə·yā·ḏe·hā} “with her hands,” and teheresennu {תֶהֶרְסֶֽנּוּ | te·her·se·n·nū} “she tears it down” is an imperfect verb indicating habitual action. The parallelism of building versus tearing down highlights the moral contrast between wisdom and folly. |