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Proverbs: Hebrew Text, English Translation and Commentary Digest
The book of Proverbs records some of the many insights of King Solomon, and reveals his wisdom of the ways of the world. The Soncino Proverbs includes a lucid English translation with an enlightening commentary.
This book is part of the world-renowned Soncino Books of the Bible series, originally compiled by Rabbi Abraham Cohen. Each volume in this series contains the complete Hebrew text and an elegant and clear verse-by-verse translation, as well as an illuminating commentary digest based on the works of classical scholars. Extensive introductions provide invaluable help in understanding each book's purpose. With its compact, practical size and distinctive format, this is a highly accessible text for all students of the Bible. Each volume also contains an index and a bibliography.
This book is part of the world-renowned Soncino Books of the Bible series, originally compiled by Rabbi Abraham Cohen. Each volume in this series contains the complete Hebrew text and an elegant and clear verse-by-verse translation, as well as an illuminating commentary digest based on the works of classical scholars. Extensive introductions provide invaluable help in understanding each book's purpose. With its compact, practical size and distinctive format, this is a highly accessible text for all students of the Bible. Each volume also contains an index and a bibliography.
- GenresJudaism
232 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1946
About the author
Abraham Cohen
106 books5 followersAbraham Cohen was a Jewish-British scholar. He was the editor of the Soncino Books of the Bible and also participated in the Soncino translation of the Talmud and Midrash. He attended the University of London and Cambridge and was a minister of Birmingham Hebrew Congregation from 1933.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 14, 2019
Love the side by side English and Hebrew print and good insights from rabbis.
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September 16, 20241. **"How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep."**
*Note:* This theme of the sluggard, or the lazy person, remains relevant today. The idea of resisting complacency and urging oneself to action has been a timeless challenge, just as pertinent now as it was thousands of years ago.
2. **"Here, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things."**
3. **"For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things desirable are not to be compared unto her. I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of devices."**
4. **"Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors."**
*Note:* This refers to the pursuit of knowledge and the continual, diligent search for wisdom.
5. **"The beneficent soul shall be made rich, and he that satisfieth abundantly shall be satisfied also himself."**
6. **"Whoso loveth knowledge, loveth correction, but he that is brutish, hateth reproof."**
7. **"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."**
*Note:* This acknowledges the importance of compassion and consideration for animals.
8. **"Deceit is in the heart of them that devise evil, but to the counsellors of peace is joy."**
9. **"A prudent man concealeth knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaimeth the foolishness."**
10. **"There is that pretendeth himself rich, yet hath nothing. There is that pretendeth himself poor, yet hath great wealth."**
11. **"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken."**
12. **"Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."**
13. **"A merry heart is a good medicine, but a broken spirit dryeth the bones."**
14. **"He that separateth himself, seeketh his own desire, and snarleth against all sound wisdom."**
15. **"The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a broken spirit who can bear?"**
16. **"The heart of the prudent geth knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge."**
17. **"Whoso findeth a wife, findeth a great good, and obtaineth favour of the Lord."**
18. **"There are friends that one hath to his own hurt, but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."**
19. **"The sluggard will not plough, when winter setteth in. Therefore he shall beg and harvest, and have nothing."**
20. **"Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."**
21. **"Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it."**
22. **"Speak not in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words."**
23. **"For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth again. But the wicked stumble under adversity."**
24. **"Hast thou found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it."**
25. **"Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint."**
26. **"As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is a fool that repeateth his folly. The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way. Yea, a lion is in the streets."**
27. **"There are three things which are too wonderful for me. Yea, four which I know not. The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon the rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a young woman."**
28. **"The locusts have no king, yet go they forth, all of them by bands."**
29. **"She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue."**
30. **"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laugheth at the time to come."**
*Note:* This theme of the sluggard, or the lazy person, remains relevant today. The idea of resisting complacency and urging oneself to action has been a timeless challenge, just as pertinent now as it was thousands of years ago.
2. **"Here, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things."**
3. **"For wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things desirable are not to be compared unto her. I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of devices."**
4. **"Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors."**
*Note:* This refers to the pursuit of knowledge and the continual, diligent search for wisdom.
5. **"The beneficent soul shall be made rich, and he that satisfieth abundantly shall be satisfied also himself."**
6. **"Whoso loveth knowledge, loveth correction, but he that is brutish, hateth reproof."**
7. **"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."**
*Note:* This acknowledges the importance of compassion and consideration for animals.
8. **"Deceit is in the heart of them that devise evil, but to the counsellors of peace is joy."**
9. **"A prudent man concealeth knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaimeth the foolishness."**
10. **"There is that pretendeth himself rich, yet hath nothing. There is that pretendeth himself poor, yet hath great wealth."**
11. **"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken."**
12. **"Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."**
13. **"A merry heart is a good medicine, but a broken spirit dryeth the bones."**
14. **"He that separateth himself, seeketh his own desire, and snarleth against all sound wisdom."**
15. **"The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a broken spirit who can bear?"**
16. **"The heart of the prudent geth knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge."**
17. **"Whoso findeth a wife, findeth a great good, and obtaineth favour of the Lord."**
18. **"There are friends that one hath to his own hurt, but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."**
19. **"The sluggard will not plough, when winter setteth in. Therefore he shall beg and harvest, and have nothing."**
20. **"Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."**
21. **"Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it."**
22. **"Speak not in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words."**
23. **"For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth again. But the wicked stumble under adversity."**
24. **"Hast thou found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it."**
25. **"Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint."**
26. **"As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is a fool that repeateth his folly. The sluggard saith, There is a lion in the way. Yea, a lion is in the streets."**
27. **"There are three things which are too wonderful for me. Yea, four which I know not. The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon the rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a young woman."**
28. **"The locusts have no king, yet go they forth, all of them by bands."**
29. **"She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue."**
30. **"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laugheth at the time to come."**
March 25, 2025
Review title: Reading backwards moving forwards
This is a Jewish commentary published in Hebraic style back to front. It is the first book I’ve ever picked up and studied in this format, and it took some getting used to moving backward through the physical artifact and forward through the text. This is a second edition; the first edition was published in April 1945—near the end of the great war initiated by the man who wanted to destroy the Jews, and with it their wisdom. He failed.
I found this randomly on the shelf at my local Half Price Books, a rare find for that used book/game/media chain. And it proved worthy of my find and reading. I referenced it often in the last two years updating and rewriting a study of the proverbs I originally wrote in 2009-2012. Each page includes parallel Hebrew and English texts at the top, with Cohen's notes below Cohen includes his own commentary plus references to several others, with a page of "Authorities Quoted" (p. 217). Interestingly he references both Christian and Jewish commentaries, and agrees equally with both seemingly regardless of their faith, focusing instead on clarification of meaning and intent in the original Hebrew text.
If you can find a copy, this will be a great addition to your shelf of commentaries on Proverbs, regardless if you are a layperson or clergy, Jewish or Christian.
This is a Jewish commentary published in Hebraic style back to front. It is the first book I’ve ever picked up and studied in this format, and it took some getting used to moving backward through the physical artifact and forward through the text. This is a second edition; the first edition was published in April 1945—near the end of the great war initiated by the man who wanted to destroy the Jews, and with it their wisdom. He failed.
I found this randomly on the shelf at my local Half Price Books, a rare find for that used book/game/media chain. And it proved worthy of my find and reading. I referenced it often in the last two years updating and rewriting a study of the proverbs I originally wrote in 2009-2012. Each page includes parallel Hebrew and English texts at the top, with Cohen's notes below Cohen includes his own commentary plus references to several others, with a page of "Authorities Quoted" (p. 217). Interestingly he references both Christian and Jewish commentaries, and agrees equally with both seemingly regardless of their faith, focusing instead on clarification of meaning and intent in the original Hebrew text.
If you can find a copy, this will be a great addition to your shelf of commentaries on Proverbs, regardless if you are a layperson or clergy, Jewish or Christian.
October 22, 2023
This is the second volume in the “Soncino Books of the Bible” series, edited by Abraham Cohen and published in 1949 following the volume on the Psalms. For those looking for what the great Jewish commentators and scholars have said about this book in order to balance out the usually more readily available Christian commentaries available, this is the book. It includes the Hebrew text and English translation, and while not neglecting the work of Christian expositors, it incorporates the views of Talmudical rabbis, many Jewish authors dating back to the middle ages (such as Maimonides), the Targum and Masoretic texts, and many more. Those who wish to read Messianic references into various passages are of course free to do so, but the original intent of the writers was to shed light on various aspects of human nature, give advice on moral conduct and interpersonal relations, establish a code of ethics based on the Torah, and remind men and women of their ultimate accountability to God. The principles outlined are timeless and not just a reflection of the age in which they were written; and in the editor’s view Proverbs is the work of more than one author, perhaps many more; ethical writings originating in the Solomonic age but incorporating much material from later dates. Whatever the authorship of the book, it stands out as the premier example of Biblical wisdom literature and deserves slow, careful and contemplative/meditative reading; certainly not the sort of book to be skimmed through in a day or two!
**** review by Chuck Graham ****
**** review by Chuck Graham ****
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews