| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the plural subject evilim {אֱ֭וִלִים | ʾĕ-wî-lîm} “fools” followed by the qal imperfect verb yalits {יָלִ֣ץ | yā-lîṣ} “mocks,” which takes the direct object asham {אָשָׁ֑ם | ʾā-šām} “guilt offering.” The conjunction waw in uvein {וּבֵ֖ין | ū-vēn} “and among” introduces an antithetic clause: yesharim {יְשָׁרִ֣ים | yĕ-šā-rîm} “upright ones” functions as subject and ratson {רָצֽוֹן | rā-ṣôn} “favor” serves as predicate. This chiastic parallelism contrasts the habitual derision of the foolish with the reception of favor by the righteous. In translation, the qal imperfect is rendered as simple present (“deride,” “scoff”) to reflect ongoing action, and uvein is translated “but among” to signal contrast without adding an English article before “upright.” |