Proverbs 27:16

Pro 27:16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, [which] bewrayeth [itself].

Ver. 16. Whosoever hideth her, hideth the wind,] i.e., One may as soon hide the wind, or hold it from blowing, as hide her shame, or hush her brawling. The wife should make her husband her covering, when she is abroad especially; but many wives are so intemperate and wilful, that a man may as well hide the wind in his fist, or oil in his clutch fist, as his wife’s infirmities. Let this be marked by those that venture upon shrews, if rich, fair, well descended, in hope to tame them and make them better.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This verse stands in close connection with the preceding, for it speaks of the contentious woman:

He that restraineth her restraineth the wind,

And oil meeteth his right hand.

The connection of the plur. subject צפניה = quicunque eam cohibet, with a sing. predicate, is not to be disputed (vid., Pro 3:18 and Pro 28:16, Chethı̂b); but can צפן gain from the meaning of preserving, laying up, also the meanings of keeping, of confining, and shutting up? - for these meanings we have כּלא and עצר (cf. צרר, Pro 30:4). In 16b it lies nearer to see in ימינו the object of the clause (oil meeteth his right hand) than the subject (his right hand meeteth oil), for the gender of ימין directs to יד (e.g., Eze 15:6; cf. 6a, where נאדּרי is as to gender indifferent): it is fem., while on the contrary שׁמן is generally masc. (cf. Sol 1:3). There is no reason for regarding ימינו as an adverbial accus. (he meets oil with his right hand), or, with Hitzig, as a second subject (he meets oil, his right hand); the latter, in the order of the words lying before us, is not at all possible. We suppose that יקרא, as at Gen 49:1, is equivalent to יקרה (Ewald, 116c), for the explanation oleum dexterae ejus praeconem agit (Cocceius, Schultens) does not explain, but only darkens: and oleum dexter su legit, i.e., colligit (Fleischer), is based on an untenable use of the word. As one may say of person to person, קרך, occurrit tibi, Num 25:18, so also יקרא (יקרה), of a thing that meets a man or one of his members; and if we compare לקראת and קרי, then for 16b the meaning is possible: oil meets his right hand; the quarrelsome woman is like oil that cannot be held in the hand, which struggles against that which holds it, for it always glides out of the hand. Thus also Luther: "and seeks to hold oil with his hand," as if he read יקמץ. In fact, this word was more commonly used as the expression of untenableness than the colourless and singular word יקרא, which, besides, is so ambiguous, that none of the old translators has thought on any other קרא than that which signifies "to call," "to name." The Jewish interpreters also adhere to this nearest lying קרא, and, moreover, explain, as the Syr., Targ., Aquila, Symmachus, Jerome, and the Venet., שׁמן ימינו, according to the accentuation as genit. connected, e.g., Rashi: he calls for oil to his right hand, viz., as the means of purification from leprosy, Lev 8:14 [Lev 14:16]; and Aben Ezra: even when he calls for oil to his right hand, i.e., would move them to silence with the precious anointing oil. Perhaps Pro 27:16 was originally an independent proverb as follows:

צפני הון צפן רוח

ושמן ימינו יקרא

He who layeth up riches in store layeth up the wind,

And he nameth them the fat of his right hand;

i.e., he sees in them that which makes his right hand fat and strong (שׁמן, as at Psa 109:24, opp. Zac 11:17; cf. בּמשׁמנּיו, Isa 10:16, and regarding Ἐσμούν, the Phoenician god of health, at Isa 59:10), and yet it is only the wind, i.e., something that is worthless and transient, which he stored up (צפן, as at Pro 13:22, and in מצפּניו, Obad. Oba 1:6). הון is used as it frequently occurs in the Book of Proverbs, e.g., Pro 11:4, and the whole proverb expresses by another figure the same as Pro 18:11. The fact that צפון (רוח), Pro 25:23, and as a contrast thereto in the compass ימין (the south), hovered before the poet, may not have been without its influence on the choice of the words and expression here.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

hideth--or, "restrains" (that is, tries to do it); is as fruitless an effort, as that of holding the wind.

the ointment of his right hand--the organ of power (Psa 17:7; Psa 18:35). His right hand endeavors to repress perfume, but vainly. Some prefer: "His right hand comes on oil," that is, "cannot take hold." Such a woman cannot be tamed.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 16. Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind] You may as well attempt to repress the blowing of the wind, as the tongue of a scold; and to conceal this unfortunate propensity of a wife is as impossible as to hush the storm, and prevent its sound from being heard.

The ointment of his right hand] You can no more conceal such a woman's conduct, than you can the smell of the aromatic oil with which your hand has been anointed. The Hebrew is very obscure, and is variously translated. Coverdale thus: "He that refrayneth her, refrayneth the wynde; and holdith oyle fast in his honde." That is, he attempts to do what is impossible to be done.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(16) Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind—i.e., you might as well try and stop the wind from blowing as seek to restrain her.

And the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.—Rather, perhaps, and oil meeteth his right hand—i.e., if he puts out his hand to stop her she slips through it like oil.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. Whosoever hideth &c.] The verse is better rendered:

He that would restrain her restraineth the wind,

And his right hand meets with oil.

“She is as subtle as wind, as slippery as oil,” Rel. Tr. Soc. Comm.

The A.V. takes the second clause of the verse to mean, You might as well try to conceal ointment in your right hand, which would certainly betray its presence, either by its odour, or by trickling through your fingers. But the proverb is at once more forcible and more harmonious, when it speaks of restraining the wind and grasping the oil.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof,.... That takes care of a fig tree, either his own or another's, planted in his garden or vineyard; see Luk 13:6; who cultivates it, digs about and dungs it, and prunes it, and does everything necessary to it; when it brings forth fruit, and that is ripe and fit to eat, he eats of it, as it is but just he should; see Co1 9:7;

so he that waiteth on his master; or "that keeps his master" (k), his person from danger, and his goods faithfully committed to his trust; or "that observes his master" (l), that looks to his hand, observes his motions, directions, and commands;

shall be honoured; as Joseph was in Potiphar's house, and elsewhere; and as all those are who observe the commandments of God, and are the servants of Christ; see Sa1 2:30.

(k) "qui custodit", Pagninus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "custodiens", Montanus; "qui custos est domini sui", V. L. (l) "Observat", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Michaelis; "observans", Cocceius, Schultens.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The point is the impossibility of concealment or restraint. A person cannot hide the wind, or clasp it in his hands. If he takes an unguent in his right hand, the odor betrays him, or it slips out. So, in like manner, the “contentious woman” is one whose faults it is impossible either to hide or check. The difficulty of the proverb led to a different reading, adopted by the versions, “The north wind is rough, and yet it is called propitious”; it clears off the clouds and brings fine weather.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Hand. As it will flow away, such as woman is commonly incorrigible. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Whosoever hideth her, i.e. attempts to smother or bridle her passion, that it may not break forth to her shame, and to his own discomfort and reproach,

hideth the wind; undertakes that which is impossible.

The ointment of his right hand; which being the great instrument of action, by its much stirring diffuseth the savour of it.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Hideth her… bewrayeth itself — This verse is obscure and variously rendered. The difficulty is chiefly in determining the root of the verb יקרא, (yikra,) translated “bewrayeth.” One root would give us call, call out, declare, etc.; the other, happen, befall, encounter, etc. Different interpreters render according to their idea on this subject. A few specimens may be given: “He that refraineth her refraineth the wind, and holdeth oil fast in his right hand.” — Coverdale. “Ointment which discovers itself.” — Boothroyd. “Conceal the fragrant oil which is upon his right hand.” — Trench. “Cometh upon oil.” — Stuart. “Encounters oil.” — Conant. “It is altogether as impossible for him to keep the wind from blowing, or to inclose a fragrant oil in his right hand so that its perfume shall not be perceived, as to make her hold her tongue, or to conceal her bawling humour.” — Patrick. “He that hideth her, hideth the winde, and she is as ye oyle in his sight that vttereth itself.” — Geneva Bible. The proverb is understood to be a sequel to the one preceding.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind. Whoever tries to restrain a shrewish woman, or to conceal her faults, might as well attempt to confine the wind or to check its violence. And the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself. He might as well try to hide the ointment which signifies its presence by its odour. But there is no "which" in the original, which runs literally, "his right hand calls oil," or, "oil meets his right hand." The former is supposed to mean that he is hurt in the struggle to coerce the vixen, and needs ointment to heal his wound; but the latter seems the correct rendering, and the meaning then is that, if he tries to hold or stop his wife, she escapes him like the oil which you try in vain to keep in your hand. An old adage says that there are three things which cannot be hidden, but always betray themselves, viz. a woman, the wind, and ointment. The LXX has read the Hebrew differently, translating, "The northwind is harsh, but by name it is called lucky (epidexiov );" i.e. because it clears the sky and introduces fine weather. The Syriac, Aquila, and Symmachus have adopted the same reading.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hideth - Attempts to smother her passion. Right-hand - Which being the great instrument of action, by its much stirring, diffuses the savour of it.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

He who guards her guards the wind He who thinks to watch her from her lewdness guards the wind; just as it is impossible to guard the wind, so will she not be guarded.

and he calls “the oil of his right hand” He calls “tzaraath” to come upon him until he drives her out like a “metzora,” who is purified with oil on the thumb of his right hand [as in Lev. 14:17].

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.