| 28. Linguistic Exegesis The verse uses synonymous parallelism with two balanced clauses. It opens with gam {גַּם | gam} “even,” establishing contrast. The first clause pairs e-vil {אֱוִ֣יל | ʾəvîl} “fool” with the Hiphil participle maḥarîš {מַחֲרִישׁ | maḥarîš} “keeps silent,” leading to the Nifal imperfect yēḥāšēḇ {יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב | yēḥāšēḇ} “is considered” plus ḥākām {חָכָ֣ם | ḥākām} “wise.” The second clause mirrors this: the Qal participle ōṯēm {אֹטֵ֖ם | ʾōṯēm} “shutting” with his lips (səp̄ātāv {שְׂפָתָ֣יו | səp̄ātāv}) yields nāḇôn {נָבֽוֹן | nāḇôn} “discerning.” The parallel participial structures highlight how restraint in speech produces an appearance of wisdom. |