| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The proverb employs two parallel participial clauses that illustrate self-inflicted harm. The Qal participle sholeach {שֹׁלֵחַ | shŏ-lê-aḥ} ‘he sends’ governs the noun phrase devarim beyad kesil {דְּבָרִים בְּיַד־כְּסִיל | də-vă-rim bə-yad kĕ-sıl}, depicting the imprudent assignment of speech to a fool. In the second clause, the Piel participle meqatzeh {מְקַצֶּה | mə-qaṭ-ṣê} ‘he cuts off’ takes raglayim {רַגְלַיִם | răg-lă-yim} as its object, while shoteh chamas {שֹׁתֶה חָמָס | shŏ-ṯê ḥă-mâs} ‘he drinks violence’ reinforces the metaphor of enduring harm. The chiastic arrangement of participle–object–participle intensifies the warning against entrusting important tasks to an incompetent agent. |