Proverbs 17:14
WEB
The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.
BSB
To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
KJV
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H6362
v — cleave, burst through, emit
Derivation: a primitive root;
to cleave or burst through, i.e. (causatively) to emit, whether literal or figurative (gape)
KJV: dismiss, free, let (shoot) out, slip away.
vb — separate
פָּטַר vb. separate, remove, set free
Qal
1. intrans. remove oneself, specif. escape
2. trans. set free
Hiph. they separated with the lip, i.e. open mouth wide (insultingly).
H4325
n-m — water, juice, urine, semen
Derivation: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
KJV: piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
n.m — waters
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
H7225
n-f — first, firstfruit
Derivation: from the same as 7218;
the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit)
KJV: beginning, chief(-est), first(-fruits, part, time), principal thing.
n.f — beginning
רֵאשִׁית n.f. beginning, chief
1.
a. beginning
b. first
2. first, chief
H4066
n-m — contest, quarrel
Derivation: from 1777;
a contest or quarrel
KJV: brawling, contention(-ous), discord, strife. Compare 4079, 4090.
n.m — strife
מָדוֹן n.m. strife, contention
1. strife, contention
2. object of contention
H6440
n-m — face, before
Derivation: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from 6437);
the 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.)
KJV: accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, × as (long as), at, battle, because (of), beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, × him(-self), honourable, impudent, in, it, look(-eth) (-s), × me, meet, × more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), × on, open, out of, over against, the partial, person, please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, regard, right forth, serve, × shewbread, sight, state, straight, street, × thee, × them(-selves), through ( -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), upon, upside ( down), with(-in, -stand), × ye, × you.
n.m — face
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
I.
1. face, faces
2.
a. presence, person
b. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
3. face of seraphim
4. face of animals
5. face (= surface) of ground
6. as adv.loc. before
7. for other phrases
II. with prepositions
H1566
v — be obstinate
Derivation: a primitive root;
to be obstinate
KJV: (inter-) meddle (with).
vb — expose
[גָּלַע] vb. expose, lay bare—only Hithp. disclose oneself, break out
H7379
n-m — contest
Derivation: or רִב; from 7378;
a contest (personal or legal)
KJV: adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy, multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing), suit.
n.m — strife
רִיב 62 n.m. strife, dispute
H5203
v — pound, smite, disperse, thrust, reject, let alone, permit, remit
Derivation: a primitive root;
properly, to pound, i.e. smite; by implication (as if beating out, and thus expanding) to disperse; also, to thrust off, down, out or upon (inclusively, reject, let alone, permit, remit, etc.)
KJV: cast off, drawn, let fall, forsake, join (battle), leave (off), lie still, loose, spread (self) abroad, stretch out, suffer.
vb — leave
נָטַשׁ vb. leave, forsake, permit
Qal
1. leave, let alone
2. usu. forsake, abandon
3. permit
Niph.
1. be forsaken
2. be loosened or loose (prop. be let alone, left to hang down) of ship’s tackle
3. be let go, spread abroad
Pu. palaces are abandoned, deserted
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Verse 14
Proverbs 17:14
Here is, 1. The danger that there is in the beginning of strife. One hot word, one peevish reflection, one angry demand, one spiteful contradiction, begets another, and that a third, and so on, till it proves like the cutting of a dam; when the water has got a little passage it does itself widen the breach, bears down all before it, and there is then no stopping it, no reducing it. 2. A good caution inferred thence, to take heed of the first spark of contention and to put it out as soon as ever it appears. Dread the breaking of the ice, for, if once broken, it will break further; therefore leave it off, not only when you see the worst of it, for then it may be too late, but when you see the first of it. Obsta principiis - Resist its earliest display. Leave it off even before it be meddled with; leave it off, if it were possible, before you begin.