Read Proverbs 12 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
10:1b-19:9 {p} …
Pro 12:11-27 Chiastic Structure:
The Proverbs continue to illuminate what is abominable to YHVH, and what is delightful to YHVH.
A prudent man, according to Webster’s, is marked by wisdom or judiciousness; shrewd in the management of practical affairs; circumspect and discreet. Our English word ‘prudent’ came from the Latin verb providēre, meaning “to see ahead, foresee, provide for.”
The Hebrew is from Strong’s H6191 ערם aram, a primitive verb meaning, “to be subtle, to be crafty, to be prudent.” The ancient pictographs are ayin + resh + mem; but according to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, the ayin was transposed from an original ghah.
ghah § = rope, thus twisted, goat, dark, negative
resh ר = head of man, thus head, first, top, beginning, man
mem מ, ם = water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
The parable being told by the Hebrew Root Word, is of twisting (ghah) the man (resh) to create an advantage (mem, in that water takes advantage of a path of least resistance for itself). A prudent man makes careful arrangements, creating the best advantage for himself or those he serves, or oversees.
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