Proverbs 15:1:4Prov.15.1.W4TAB

וּדְבַר־עֶ֝֗צֶב

udevaretsev

but a word of pain or hurt

Transliteration
u-de-VAR-E-tsev
Extended
oo-deh-VAHR-eh-tseh v
IPA
/uː.dəˈvar.ˈʕɛ.tsɛv/

Meaning by language

English
but a word of pain or hurt

Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it

Result
וּ + דְ + בַר + עֶ֝֗ + צֶב
u + de + var + e + tsev
udevaretsev

Alphabet Analysis

Vavv as in vine; marks long ō / ū
Daletd as in door
Shevavocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable
Betb with dagesh; v without dagesh
Patachshort 'ah' as in father
Reshr guttural, like the French r
Ayindeep guttural stop, voiced pharyngeal
Segholshort 'eh' as in met
Tsadets as in cats
Segholshort 'eh' as in met
Betb with dagesh; v without dagesh

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Vowels (Niqqud)

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The word

Word in context

  1. word

    u-de-VAR-E-tsev

  2. clause

    u-de-VAR-E-tsev ya-a-LE-AF

  3. sentence

    ma-a-NE-RAKH ya-SHIV khe-MA u-de-VAR-E-tsev ya-a-LE-AF

Exegesis

The conjunction u {וּ | ū} signals an antithetical parallel clause introduced by the construct dvar-etzev {דְבַר־עֶ֝֗צֶב | də-ḇar-ʿê-ṣeb} ‘harsh word,’ followed by the verb yaʿaleh {יַעֲלֶה | yă-ʿă-lêh} ‘stirs up’ and object af {אָף | ’āph} ‘anger.’ The balanced construct chains and verb forms create a chiastic antithesis that highlights the contrasting effects of speech.

Root and etymology

ע־צ־ב

pain, grief

In contextProverbs 15:1

A gentle answer turns away wrath , but a harsh word stirs up anger.

About this coordinate

Proverbs 15:1:4 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 4 of Proverbs 15:1, so the Hebrew word וּדְבַר־עֶ֝֗צֶב (udevaretsev) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Prov.15.1.W4, which extends further down to each syllable (Prov.15.1.W4.S1) and character.