Proverbs 25:26
WEB
Like a muddied spring and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
BSB
Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
KJV
A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H4599
n-m — fountain, source
Derivation: or מַעְיְנוֹ; (Psalm 114:8), or (feminine) מַעְיָנָה; from 5869 (as a denominative in the sense of a spring);
a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a source (of satisfaction)
KJV: fountain, spring, well.
n.m — spring
מַעְיָן n.m. spring
H7515
v — trample, roil water
Derivation: a primitive root;
to trample, i.e. roil water
KJV: foul, trouble.
vb — stamp
רָפַס, רָפַשׂ vb. stamp, tread, foul by stamping, treading
Qal c. acc. rivers
Niph. a fountain befouled.
Hithp. (stamp oneself down, then fig.) humble thyself
H4726
n-m — dug, source, pudenda
Derivation: or מָקֹר; from 6979;
properly, something dug, i.e. a (general) source (of water, even when naturally flowing; also of tears, blood (by euphemism, of the female pudenda); figuratively, of happiness, wisdom, progeny)
KJV: fountain, issue, spring, well(-spring).
n.m — spring
מָקוֹר n.m. spring, fountain (app. orig. well)
1. spring of water
2. fig. of eye
3. source of menstruous blood
4. = flow of blood after child-birth
H7843
v — decay, ruin
Derivation: a primitive root;
to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively)
KJV: batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, × utterly, waste(-r).
vb — go to ruin
[שָׁחַת] 161 vb. go to ruin (?)
Niph. be marred, spoiled
Pi.
1. spoil, ruin
2. pervert, corrupt
Hiph.
1. spoil, ruin
2. pervert, corrupt
Hoph. spoiled, ruined
H6662
a — just
Derivation: from 6663;
just
KJV: just, lawful, righteous (man).
adj — just
צַדִּיק 206 adj. just, righteous
H4131
v — waver, slip, shake, fall
Derivation: a primitive root;
to waver; by implication, to slip, shake, fall
KJV: be carried, cast, be out of course, be fallen in decay, × exceedingly, fall(-ing down), be (re-) moved, be ready, shake, slide, slip.
vb — totter
[מוֹט] vb. totter, shake, slip
Qal totter, slip
Niph. be shaken, moved, overthrown
Hiph. dislodge, let fall, drop
Hithpo‛l. be greatly shaken
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
H7563
a — wrong, bad
Derivation: from 7561;
morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person
KJV: condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.
adj — wicked
רָשָׁע 263 adj. wicked, criminal
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Verse 26
Proverbs 25:26
It is here represented as a very lamentable thing, and a public grievance, and of ill consequence to many, like the troubling of a fountain and the corrupting of a spring, for the righteous to fall down before the wicked, that is, 1. For the righteous to fall into sin in the sight of the wicked - for them to do any thing unbecoming their profession, which is told in Gath, and published in the streets of Ashkelon, and in which the daughters of the Philistines rejoice. For those that have been in reputation for wisdom and honour to fall from their excellency, this troubles the fountains by grieving some, and corrupts the springs by infecting others and emboldening them to do likewise. 2. For the righteous to be oppressed, and run down, and trampled upon, by the violence or subtlety of evil men, to be displaced and thrust into obscurity, this is the troubling of the fountains of justice and corrupting the very springs of government, Pro 28:12, Pro 28:28; Pro 29:2. 3. For the righteous to be cowardly, to truckle to the wicked, to be afraid of opposing his wickedness and basely to yield to him, this is a reflection upon religion, a discouragement to good men, and strengthens the hands of sinners in their sins, and so is like a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring.
Cross-references: Prov 28:12 · Prov 28:28 · Prov 29:2