וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝שׁ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝שׁ

   ve-TOV-RASH

   and better is a poor person
2. clause🔊 וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝שׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ כָּזָֽב׃

   ve-TOV-RASH me-ISH ka-ZAV

   and better is a poor person than a man a lie or deception
3. sentence🔊 תַּאֲוַ֣ת אָדָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְטֽוֹב־רָ֝שׁ מֵאִ֥ישׁ כָּזָֽב׃

   ta-a-VAT a-DAM kha-se-DO ve-TOV-RASH me-ISH ka-ZAV

   desire of a man or human his loyal-love or kindness and better is a poor person than a man a lie or deception

Exegesis

The second clause employs the comparative construction tov–rash {טוֹב־רָשׁ | ṯōv-rāš} ‘better is the poor’, where the maqaf binds tov {טוֹב | ṯōv} ‘good’ and rash {רָשׁ | rāš} ‘poor’, followed by the preposition min in its contract form mē-ʾīš {מֵאִישׁ | mē-ʾîš} ‘than a man’ and the substantive kazav {כָּזָב | kā-zāḇ} ‘liar’. The chiastic parallel between preferring kindness over desire and poverty over falsehood guides the translation strategy to retain the Hebrew’s nominal focus and comparative emphasis in English.

Root and etymology

Root🔊 ט–ו–בtav–waw–bet

“good, pleasing, beneficial”

• 🔊 טוֹבָהṭōvāhwell-beingGenesis 4:20