| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The proverb employs synonymous parallelism between its two lines, presenting traits that characterise wisdom. The first line begins with chosekh {חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ | ḥō-śē-ḵ} ‘restraining’, linked to amarav {אֲ֭מָרָיו | ă-mā-rā-yāw} ‘his words’ in construct, forming a participial relative clause of habitual action. That is intensified by the cognate phrase yodea daat {יוֹדֵ֣עַ דָּ֑עַת | yō-ḏē-ʿa dā-ʿaṯ} ‘knowing knowledge’, which reinforces the link between self-control and insight. The second line presents ish tevunah {אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה | ʾîš tə-bū-nāh} ‘a man of understanding’ in apposition, connected by the additive waw in veqar-ruach {וְקַר־רוּחַ֙ | wə-qār-rû-aḥ} ‘and cool of spirit’. The waw-conjunction signals the addition of emotional composure to practical wisdom. The chiastic arrangement (restraint–knowledge : understanding–calmness) highlights the integrated nature of wisdom. |