| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The proverb employs parallelism with two balanced clauses. The first clause begins with the prepositional phrase mera {מֵרַע | mērāʿ} ‘from evil’ followed by the hiphil participle makshiv {מַקְשִׁיב | maq-šîḇ} ‘one who listens.’ It then presents a construct chain al-sefat-aven {עַל־שְׂפַת־אָוֶן | ʿal-sep̄āt-ʾāwen} ‘upon lip of iniquity,’ intensifying moral culpability. The second clause opens with sheqer {שֶׁקֶר | še-qer} ‘falsehood’ and the parallel participle mezin {מֵזִין | mē-zîn} ‘one who gives ear,’ followed by al-leshon havvot {עַל־לְשׁוֹן הַוֺּת | ʿal-lə-šōn havvōṯ} ‘upon tongue of destructions.’ The hiphil participles denote habitual action, and the repetition of the prepositional phrase al {עַל} underscores volitional engagement with evil speech. The chiastic order of falsehood and destruction framed by moral actors highlights the cause-and-effect relationship between listening and ruin. |