Proverbs 17:14

Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

The beginning of contention `is' a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

פּוֹטֵר מַיִם רֵאשִׁית מָדוֹן וְלִפְנֵי הִתְגַּלַּע הָרִיב נְטוֹשׁ

Transliteration

pôṭēr mayim rē'šît mādôn wə-lipnê hitgalla' hārîb nəṭôš

Grammar Details

• *pôṭēr*: participle, Qal - letting out/releasing
• *mayim*: noun, masculine plural - water
• *rē'šît*: noun, feminine singular construct - beginning of
• *mādôn*: noun, masculine singular - strife/dispute
• *wə-lipnê*: conjunction + preposition + construct form - and before
• *hitgalla'*: verb, Hithpael infinitive construct - being revealed/breaking out
• *hārîb*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the dispute
• *nəṭôš*: verb, Qal imperative, masculine singular - leave/abandon

Word Meanings

• *pôṭēr*: letting out/releasing/setting free
• *mayim*: water/waters
• *rē'šît*: beginning/first/start
• *mādôn*: strife/contention/dispute
• *lipnê*: before/ahead of
• *hitgalla'*: being revealed/breaking out/erupting
• *rîb*: dispute/quarrel/legal case
• *nəṭôš*: leave/abandon/drop

Referenced Verses

• Prov 20:3 : 3 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
• Prov 25:8 : 8 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
• 1 Thess 4:11 : 11 and to study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we did command you,
• Jas 3:14-18 : 14 and if bitter zeal ye have, and rivalry in your heart, glory not, nor lie against the truth; 15 this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like, 16 for where zeal and rivalry `are', there is insurrection and every evil matter; 17 and the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical: -- 18 and the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.
• 2 Tim 2:23-24 : 23 and the foolish and uninstructed questions be avoiding, having known that they beget strife, 24 and a servant of the Lord it behoveth not to strive, but to be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient under evil,
• Prov 26:21 : 21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
• Prov 29:22 : 22 An angry man stirreth up contention, And a furious man is multiplying transgression.
• Eccl 7:8-9 : 8 Better `is' the latter end of a thing than its beginning, Better `is' the patient of spirit, than the haughty of spirit. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, For anger in the bosom of fools resteth.
• Matt 5:39-41 : 39 but I -- I say to you, not to resist the evil, but whoever shall slap thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; 40 and whoever is willing to take thee to law, and thy coat to take -- suffer to him also the cloak. 41 `And whoever shall impress thee one mile, go with him two,
• Acts 6:1-5 : 1 And in these days, the disciples multiplying, there came a murmuring of the Hellenists at the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily ministration, 2 and the twelve, having called near the multitude of the disciples, said, `It is not pleasing that we, having left the word of God, do minister at tables; 3 look out, therefore, brethren, seven men of you who are well testified of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may set over this necessity, 4 and we to prayer, and to the ministration of the word, will give ourselves continually.' 5 And the thing was pleasing before all the multitude, and they did choose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,
• Acts 15:2-9 : 2 there having been, therefore, not a little dissension and disputation to Paul and Barnabas with them, they arranged for Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, to go up unto the apostles and elders to Jerusalem about this question, 3 they indeed, then, having been sent forward by the assembly, were passing through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations, and they were causing great joy to all the brethren. 4 And having come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly, and the apostles, and the elders, they declared also as many things as God did with them; 5 and there rose up certain of those of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying -- `It behoveth to circumcise them, to command them also to keep the law of Moses.' 6 And there were gathered together the apostles and the elders, to see about this matter, 7 and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said unto them, `Men, brethren, ye know that from former days, God among us did make choice, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe; 8 and the heart-knowing God did bare them testimony, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us, 9 and did put no difference also between us and them, by the faith having purified their hearts; 10 now, therefore, why do ye tempt God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 but, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, even as also they.' 12 And all the multitude did keep silence, and were hearkening to Barnabas and Paul, declaring as many signs and wonders as God did among the nations through them; 13 and after they are silent, James answered, saying, `Men, brethren, hearken to me; 14 Simeon did declare how at first God did look after to take out of the nations a people for His name, 15 and to this agree the words of the prophets, as it hath been written: 16 After these things I will turn back, and I will build again the tabernacle of David, that is fallen down, and its ruins I will build again, and will set it upright -- 17 that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the nations, upon whom My name hath been called, saith the Lord, who is doing all these things. 18 `Known from the ages to God are all His works; 19 wherefore I judge: not to trouble those who from the nations do turn back to God, 20 but to write to them to abstain from the pollutions of the idols, and the whoredom, and the strangled thing; and the blood; 21 for Moses from former generations in every city hath those preaching him -- in the synagogues every sabbath being read.'
• Rom 12:18 : 18 If possible -- so far as in you -- with all men being in peace;
• Gen 13:8-9 : 8 And Abram saith unto Lot, `Let there not, I pray thee, be strife between me and thee, and between my shepherds and thy shepherds, for we `are' men -- brethren. 9 Is not all the land before thee? be parted, I pray thee, from me; if to the left, then I to the right; and if to the right, then I to the left.'
• Judg 8:1-3 : 1 And the men of Ephraim say unto him, `What `is' this thing thou hast done to us -- not to call for us when thou didst go to fight with Midian?' and they strive with him severely; 2 and he saith unto them, `What have I done now like you? are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the harvest of Abi-Ezer? 3 Into your hand hath God given the heads of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; and what have I been able to do like you?' Then their temper desisted from off him in his speaking this thing.
• Judg 12:1-6 : 1 And the men of Ephraim are called together, and pass over northward, and say to Jephthah, `Wherefore has thou passed over to fight against the Bene-Ammon, and on us hast not called to go with thee? thy house we burn over thee with fire.' 2 And Jephthah saith unto them, `A man of great strife I have been (I and my people) with the Bene-Ammon, and I call you, and ye have not saved me out of their hand, 3 and I see that thou art not a saviour, and I put my life in my hand, and pass over unto the Bene-Ammon, and Jehovah giveth them into my hand -- and why have ye come up unto me this day to fight against me?' 4 And Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fighteth with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead smite Ephraim, because they said, `Fugitives of Ephraim `are' ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim -- in the midst of Manasseh.' 5 And Gilead captureth the passages of the Jordan to Ephraim, and it hath been, when `any of' the fugitives of Ephraim say, `Let me pass over,' and the men of Gilead say to him, `An Ephramite thou?' and he saith, `No;' 6 that they say to him, `Say, I pray thee, Shibboleth;' and he saith, `Sibboleth,' and is not prepared to speak right -- and they seize him, and slaughter him at the passages of the Jordan, and there fall at that time, of Ephraim, forty and two chiefs.
• 2 Sam 2:14-17 : 14 And Abner saith unto Joab, `Let the youths rise, I pray thee, and they play before us;' and Joab saith, `Let them rise.' 15 And they rise and pass over, in number twelve of Benjamin, even of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And they lay hold, each on the head of his companion, and his sword `is' in the side of his companion, and they fall together, and `one' calleth that place Helkath-Hazzurim, which `is' in Gibeon, 17 and the battle is very hard on that day, and Abner is smitten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
• 2 Sam 19:41-20:22 : 41 And, lo, all the men of Israel are coming unto the king, and they say unto the king, `Wherefore have they stolen thee -- our brethren, the men of Judah?' (and they bring the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him). 42 And all the men of Judah answer against the men of Israel, `Because the king `is' near unto us, and why `is' this -- ye are displeased about this matter? have we at all eaten of the king's `substance?' a gift hath he lifted up to us?' 43 And the men of Israel answer the men of Judah, and say, `Ten parts we have in the king, and also in David more than you; and wherefore have ye lightly esteemed us, that our word hath not been first to bring back our king?' And the word of the men of Judah is sharper than the word of the men of Israel. 1 And there hath been called there a man of worthlessness, and his name `is' Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and saith, `We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; each to his tents, O Israel.' 2 And every man of Israel goeth up from after David, after Sheba son of Bichri, and the men of Judah have cleaved to their king, from the Jordan even unto Jerusalem. 3 And David cometh in unto his house at Jerusalem, and the king taketh the ten women-concubines -- whom he had left to keep the house, and putteth them in a house of ward, and sustaineth them, and unto them he hath not gone in, and they are shut up unto the day of their death, in widowhood living. 4 And the king saith unto Amasa, `Call for me the men of Judah `in' three days, and thou, stand here,' 5 and Amasa goeth to call Judah, and tarrieth beyond the appointed time that he had appointed him; 6 and David saith unto Abishai, `Now doth Sheba son of Bichri do evil to us more than Absalom; thou, take the servants of thy lord, and pursue after him, lest he have found for himself fenced cities, and delivered himself `from' our eye.' 7 And the men of Joab go out after him, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and all the mighty men, and they go out from Jerusalem to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri; 8 they `are' near the great stone that `is' in Gibeon, and Amasa hath gone before them, and Joab `is' girded; his long robe he hath put on him, and upon it a girdle -- a sword `is' fastened upon his loins in its sheath; and he hath gone out, and it falleth. 9 And Joab saith to Amasa, `Art thou `in' peace, my brother?' and the right hand of Joab layeth hold on the beard of Amasa to give a kiss to him; 10 and Amasa hath not been watchful of the sword that `is' in the hand of Joab, and he smiteth him with it unto the fifth `rib', and sheddeth out his bowels to the earth, and he hath not repeated `it' to him, and he dieth; and Joab and Abishai his brother have pursued after Sheba son of Bichri. 11 And a man hath stood by him, of the young men of Joab, and saith, `He who hath delight in Joab, and he who `is' for David -- after Joab!' 12 And Amasa is rolling himself in blood, in the midst of the highway, and the man seeth that all the people have stood still, and he bringeth round Amasa out of the highway to the field, and casteth over him a garment, when he hath seen that every one who hath come by him -- hath stood still. 13 When he hath been removed out of the highway, every man hath passed on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba son of Bichri. 14 And he passeth over through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maachah, and to all the Berites, and they are assembled, and go in also after him, 15 and they go in and lay siege against him, in Abel of Beth-Maachah, and cast up a mount against the city, and it standeth in a trench, and all the people who are `are' with Joab are destroying, to cause the wall to fall. 16 And a wise woman calleth out of the city, `Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, and I speak unto thee.' 17 And he cometh near unto her, and the woman saith, `Art thou Joab?' and he saith, `I `am'.' And she saith to him, `Hear the words of thy handmaid;' and he saith, `I am hearing.' 18 and she speaketh, saying, `They spake often in former times, saying, Let them diligently ask at Abel, and so they finished. 19 I `am' of the peaceable -- faithful ones of Israel; thou art seeking to destroy a city, and a mother in Israel; why dost thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah? 20 And Joab answereth and saith, `Far be it -- far be it from me; I do not swallow up nor destroy. 21 The matter `is' not so; for a man of the hill-country of Ephraim -- Sheba son of Bichri his name -- hath lifted up his hand against the king, against David; give ye up him by himself, and I go away from the city.' And the woman saith unto Joab, `Lo, his head is cast unto thee over the wall.' 22 And the woman cometh unto all the people in her wisdom, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and cast `it' unto Joab, and he bloweth with a trumpet, and they are scattered from the city, each to his tents, and Joab hath turned back to Jerusalem unto the king.
• 2 Chr 10:14-16 : 14 and speaketh unto them according to the counsel of the lads, saying, `My father made your yoke heavy, and I -- I add unto it; my father chastised you with whips, and I -- with scorpions.' 15 And the king hath not hearkened unto the people, for the revolution hath been from God, for the sake of Jehovah's establishing His word that He spake by the hand of Abijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16 And all Israel have seen that the king hath not hearkened to them, and the people send back `to' the king, saying, `What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in a son of Jesse; each to thy tents, O Israel; now, see thy house -- David,' and all Israel go to their tents.
• 2 Chr 13:17 : 17 and Abijah and his people smite among them a great smiting, and there fall wounded of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
• 2 Chr 25:17-24 : 17 And Amaziah king of Judah taketh counsel, and sendeth unto Joash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, 18 `Come, we look one another in the face.' And Joash king of Israel sendeth unto Amaziah king of Judah, saying, `The thorn that `is' in Lebanon hath sent unto the cedar that `is' in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son for a wife; and pass by doth a beast of the field that `is' in Lebanon, and treadeth down the thorn. 19 Thou hast said, Lo, I have smitten Edom; and thy heart hath lifted thee up to boast; now, abide in thy house, why dost thou stir thyself up in evil, that thou hast fallen, thou, and Judah with thee?' 20 And Amaziah hath not hearkened, for from God it `is' in order to give them into hand, because they have sought the gods of Edom; 21 and go up doth Joash king of Israel, and they look one another in the face, he and Amaziah king of Judah, in Beth-Shemesh, that `is' Judah's, 22 and Judah is smitten before Israel, and they flee -- each to his tents. 23 And Amaziah king of Judah, son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, hath Joash king of Israel caught in Beth-Shemesh, and bringeth him in to Jerusalem, and breaketh down in the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the gate of the corner, four hundred cubits, 24 and `taketh' all the gold, and the silver, and all the vessels that are found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the house of the king, and the sons of the pledges, and turneth back to Samaria.
• 2 Chr 28:6 : 6 And Pekah son of Remaliah slayeth in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day (the whole `are' sons of valour), because of their forsaking Jehovah, God of their fathers.
• Prov 13:10 : 10 A vain man through pride causeth debate, And with the counselled `is' wisdom.
• Prov 14:29 : 29 Whoso is slow to anger `is' of great understanding, And whoso is short in temper is exalting folly.
• Prov 15:1 : 1 A soft answer turneth back fury, And a grievous word raiseth up anger.
• Prov 16:32 : 32 Better `is' the slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.
• Prov 17:19 : 19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.
• Prov 19:11 : 11 The wisdom of a man hath deferred his anger, And his glory `is' to pass over transgression.