Proverbs 11:24–25
Whoever waters will also be watered
Study it word by word24There is one who scatters and gains even more, and one who withholds more than is right comes only to need.
25A soul of blessing will be filled to the full, and one who waters will also himself be watered.
In its context
22A ring of gold in the snout of a pig, so is a beautiful woman who turns away from judgment.
23The desire of the righteous is only good; the hope of the wicked is fury.
…
26Whoever withholds grain, the people will curse him, but blessing is on the head of the one who sells it.
27Whoever eagerly seeks good seeks favor, but whoever searches for evil, it will come to him.
Its words in the original
- מְפַזֵּרmefazer· scatter
To scatter, to disperse.
- נוֹסָףnosaf· add, do again
Add; do again, keep doing.
- חוֹשֵׂךְchosech· hold back
Hold back, restrain, keep from; spare.
- יֹּשֶׁרyosher· uprightness
Uprightness: what is straight and right.
- מַחְסוֹרmachsor· need, lack
Need, lack: what someone is missing.
- נֶפֶשׁnefesh· soul, living being, life
A breathing being, a living being. It is translated "living being" (people and animals), "life" (when living or dying is at stake), "person" (in counts and laws), "soul" (the person at the innermost: desires, joy, anguish) or "myself". In the Old Testament it names the whole living being, not only a part of it.
- בְּרָכָהberacha· blessing
Blessing: the good that God gives (life, children, prosperity) and the words with which it is asked for or declared. Also a gift.
- תְדֻשָּׁןtedushan· be fat; remove ashes
Be fat, grow fat; make fat, anoint (Psalm 23:5). Also clear the altar of the fatty ashes of the sacrifices (Exodus 27:3; Numbers 4:13).
- מַרְוֶהmarve· drink one's fill, drench
To drink one's fill, to be soaked: to drink until satisfied; said of land, to be well watered.
- יוֹרֶאyore· shoot, throw; teach
Throw, cast, shoot arrows; also set or lay. From the same root comes "teach" (point out the way).