| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The proverb opens with the noun ewil {אֱוִ֗יל | ʾe·wîl} ‘fool,’ immediately followed by yinaʿats {יִ֭נְאֵץ | yî·naṣ} ‘despises,’ creating a concise subject-verb linkage characteristic of Hebrew antithetical parallelism. The construct chain musar aviv {מוּסַ֣ר אָבִ֑יו | mû·sār ʾa·vîv} ‘instruction of his father’ functions as the object. The coordinating conjunction in veshomer {וְשֹׁמֵ֖ר | wə·šō·mēr} introduces a contrasting clause with a Qal participle functioning as a substantive ‘but the one who keeps.’ The term tokhachat {תּוֹכַ֣חַת | tō·ḵa·ḥaṯ} remains as the retained object. The Hiphil imperfect yaʿarim {יַעְרִֽם | ya·ʿā·rîm} conveys causation ‘causes to be prudent,’ emphasizing active engagement in wisdom. This antithetical structure balances the fool’s disdain against the prudent’s receptivity. |