Proverbs 15:4 - Translation and Commentary
A healing tongue is a tree of life, but crookedness in
it is a breach in the spirit – Proverbs
15:4 (My translation)
The power and importance of the
tongue is a massive biblical theme that could fill volumes, and there are many
biblical passages discussing it in different ways. Two of the most notable passages,
closely connected to this study of Proverbs 15:4, are Proverbs 18:21, and the very
famous passage from the New Testament: James 3:1-12. Both passages go hand in
hand with what I am about to discuss, but for now, I will refrain from
discussing them in detail, as there is a great deal to be said about the
proverb currently in the limelight.
Proverbs 15:4
Proverbs 15:4 has always been a
favourite of mine. Not only is it simple and beautiful, it is thought provoking
and far-reaching as well. It is one of those nuggets of wisdom and insight into
humanity and relationships that one could live by successfully for a lifetime
and more, without ever needing to be very spiritual either. It is just simple, pragmatic
wisdom in a succinct, yet full-bodied poetic statement.
It begins with the Hebrew noun מרפא/marpe,
meaning, “healing, cure, health” (BDB, p. 951), which is derived from the verb רפא/rapa,
meaning, “heal” (BDB, p. 950). It is then attached to the word “tongue”, לשון/lashon in
Hebrew, forming a beautiful and intriguing construct in this proverb: מרפא לשון/marpe lashon:
“healing of the tongue/a healing tongue”.
Kind words; praise; encouragement; speaking the truth; repentance; heartfelt confession; prudent advice; or
genuine love and admiration communicated verbally are all examples of what come
to mind by this ancient, figurative expression. Furthermore, to ascribe healing
to the tongue or to one’s words, as an innate power, is also surprisingly
modern, antedating many contemporary psychotherapeutic concepts such as Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy, for instance. And, to further bolster the significance of
the tongue’s healing power, Solomon (the author according to tradition) then links it to the very
familiar appellation עץ חיים/ets chaim, or “tree of life”.
Now, one could get very speculative
about the nature of the Tree of Life in the creation story and its appearance
here in the book of Proverbs, and begin forming some wild theories, but that
would be an epic distraction from the point Solomon is making here. Those words
certainly appear in this proverb, and they lend it tremendous significance.
However, in this proverb עץ חיים/ets chaim does not carry the definite
article (the), in which case it is “a
tree of life” rather than “the Tree
of Life”, as we read it in the book of Genesis. I feel this is important to
note, as it seems, in my mind, to lend a significance related to the Tree of
Life in the creation story but without referencing it for its own sake. Rather,
its use in this proverb draws our attention to the concepts of restoration,
healing and continuity of health. This is especially so with regard to
relationship, which is fundamental to humanity and being human, and therefore
the allusion to Genesis is really quite appropriate.
Like any good proverb, however, 15:4
comes with a stern warning that is both extremely sobering, as well as
foundational. Part b) of the proverb utilizes the noun סלף/seleph,
meaning, “crookedness, crooked dealing”, and the verb from which it is derived סלף/salaph,
means to “twist, pervert, overturn” (BDB, p. 701). The noun is then coupled
with a word formed by adding the common preposition, ב, usually translated as “in”, to the feminine singular
suffix ה. Added together
you get a short word, בה/bah, meaning, “in it”. This is important
because it is the anchor for what I believe the proverb is intending to say.
Now, you can think of part b) as
referring to either crookedness in a
healing tongue or simply as the opposite - a crooked/destructive tongue. However,
if we’re to think of this phrase “crookedness in it” as referring to basically
the opposite of a healing tongue, then the proverb seems to lose some of its
impact. This is because it is quite obvious that mere slander, insults, rudeness
etc., are detrimental to relationships between human beings on any level, and
therefore it isn’t terribly profound or insightful to mention it. Instead, I
believe the idea in this proverb refers more specifically to treachery or
deceitfulness.
Truth mixed with lies; apology
without sincerity; disingenuous praise; kind or loving words with a malicious hidden
agenda; a directive given for selfish gain or self preservation at the expense
of another – these are examples of what might be thought of as a healing tongue
with crookedness/perverseness in it, or with ill intent behind or at the heart
of it.
Further support for this
understanding is found in the only other occurrence of the noun סלף/seleph in
the Hebrew Bible: Proverbs 11:3. Here סלף/seleph is part of a construct
phrase “the crookedness/crooked dealings of the treacherous”, where it is coupled
with a semantically related verb בגד/bagad, meaning, “act or deal
treacherously” (BDB, p. 93). To be tangential just briefly, I will occasionally
cite semantically related words to the word in question, as a way of getting at
the real essence of a word. This is known in linguistics as a semantic field.
It is one way of determining how best to translate a given word or idiomatic
phrase, especially when concerning ancient languages. In this case, I feel the example from Proverbs 11:3 supports the understanding of treachery or deception very well.
The final phrase of Proverb 15:4, “a
breach in the spirit”, as I have chosen to translate it, is especially
interesting. The word that I have translated as “breach” is שבר/shever,
meaning, “breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash” (BDB, p. 991). For your
perusal, a few passages where the word appears will give you a sense of the
devastation this word refers to: Proverbs 17:19; Isaiah 30:13-14, 51:19; Lamentations
3:46-48. The word points to certain destruction, devastation and brokenness.
However, its meaning in Proverbs 15:4, is a little different. It is used here in
connection to the word רוח/ruach, meaning, “breath, wind, spirit”
(BDB, p. 924), which is another possible allusion to Genesis, as this is the
word used to describe the life God breathed into every living creature (Genesis
6:17, 7:15). We also find the "in"/ב preposition
attached to רוח/ruach in this proverb, and therefore we
are talking about a breach or fracture in
one’s spirit.
Now, as we are dealing with the
power of the tongue with respect to relationships, the translation has to
reflect something of the devastating effect of deception on the inner life of a
human being. It seems reasonable to me that, as a healing tongue, being a tree
of life, is suggestive of ensuing health, peace and wellness; crookedness and
treachery in that tongue is then highly suggestive of the ensuing devastation
of a breach in one’s spiritual and emotional defences. In this instance, I have
derived my understanding of its meaning in Proverbs 15:4 from its use in Isaiah
30:13-14, mentioned above, where we are given the image of a breach in a high
wall, bulging out and about to collapse.
To further widen the scope of the
meaning of this proverb, one might also consider the devastating effects of
self-deprecation, self-condemnation or cynicism. Knowing the positive truths
about one’s life and self-worth, yet deceiving oneself with what is contrary to
that truth can be extremely detrimental to one’s emotional well-being and peace
of mind. Moreover, using kind words and a healing tongue with ill intent can
also constitute a breach in one’s own inner life and stability, as one’s gain
at the expense of another will ultimately lead to inner ruin, if a conscience
is present that is. As I have said, the warning of this proverb is very
sobering and definitely far-reaching. How much more so is the blessing of a
tongue of pure healing and good will then? It is no less than a tree of life.
This is an amazing analysis of the verse, which I've read many times over- the way you open it up makes it all the more tangible and meaningful. Thank you for this wonderful and sobering reminder of the power of the tongue.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your insights on this verse and your understandings of the original meanings of each Hebrew word used. We are blessed Seth. Publish more :)
ReplyDeleteI have an emotionally abusive mother in law. not only to me but to her own two flesh and blood children. we have all taken her insults. but I drew the line when she started in my children. for years I've tried to understand, forget, forgive, make sense of her behav, find a lesson in it all. proverb 15:4 has been an eye opener for me. to be sure I was understanding it researched meanings. thank you for your well articulated insight. I'm not crazy, she is evil. evil is not just in the movies, it really exists. and not just in terrorists or Nazi, but in everyday people. May. God bless.
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