Proverbs 26:4:1Prov.26.4.W1TAB
אַל־תַּ֣עַן
altaan
“do not answer”
- Transliteration
- al-ta-AN
- Extended
- ahl-tah-AN
- IPA
- /ʔal.taˈʕan/
Meaning by language
- English
- do not answer
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Aleph | silent — a glottal stop; holds vowel points | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Lamed | l as in law | |
| Tav | t as in top | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Ayin | deep guttural stop, voiced pharyngeal | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Nun Sofit | final form of Nun — at word end |
Tap any letter to hear its name and sound
Now you try — trace the word:
The word
Word in context
- word
al-ta-AN
- clause
al-ta-AN ke-SIL ke-i-val-TO
- sentence
al-ta-AN ke-SIL ke-i-val-TO pen-ti-shve-LO gam-a-TA
Exegesis
The verse employs the prohibitive + infinitive form al-ta’an {אַל־תַּ֣עַן | ʾal-taʿăn} ‘do not answer’ to issue a direct warning.
In context — Proverbs 26:4
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him.
About this coordinate
Proverbs 26:4:1 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 1 of Proverbs 26:4, so the Hebrew word אַל־תַּ֣עַן (altaan) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Prov.26.4.W1, which extends further down to each syllable (Prov.26.4.W1.S1) and character.