King James Version

Proverbs 17:18

A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

אָדָ֣םadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.חֲסַרchasardestituteחָסֵרadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, construct — “destitute”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2638lacking; hence, withoutdestitute, fail, lack, have need, void, want.לֵ֭בlevcomfortablyלֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “comfortably”, the ordinary formH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…תּוֹקֵ֣עַtoqeablowתָּקַעverb, qal, participle, absolute — “blow”, a verb used as a describing wordH8628to clatter, i.e. slap (the hands together), clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive (a nail or tent-pin, a dart, etc.); by implication, to become bondsman by handclasping)blow (a trumpet), cast, clap, fasten, pitch (tent), smite, sound, strike, [idiom] suretiship, thrust.כָּ֑ףkafhand , -dle,כַּףnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “hand , -dle,”, the ordinary formH3709the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, powerbranch, [phrase] foot, hand((-ful), -dle, (-led)), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.עֹרֵ֥בorevgive pledgesעָרַבverb, qal, participle, absolute — “give pledges”, a verb used as a describing wordH6148to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange)engage, (inter-) meddle (with), mingle (self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be(-come, put in) surety, undertake.עֲ֝רֻבָּ֗הarubahpledgeעֲרֻבָּהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “pledge”, the ordinary formH6161something given as security, i.e. (literally) a token (of safety) or (metaphorically) a bondsmanpledge, surety.לִפְנֵ֥יlifneto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…רֵעֵֽהוּreehvbrotherרֵעַnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “brother”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7453an associate (more or less close)brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, [idiom] (an-) other.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

A man void of understanding striketh hands, And becometh surety in the presence of his neighbor.

Young’s Literal Translation

A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.

World English Bible

A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.

Darby Translation

A senseless man striketh hands, becoming surety for his neighbour.

Douay-Rheims

A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his friend.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

A foolish man applauds and rejoices over himself, as he also that becomes surety would make himself responsible for his own friends.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀνὴρ ἄφρων ἐπικροτεῖ καὶ ἐπιχαίρει ἑαυτῷ, ὡς καὶ ὁ ἐγγυώμενος ἐγγύῃ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ φίλων.