Proverbs 25:21–22
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat
Study it word by word21If the one who hates you is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22for you will heap coals on his head, and YHWH will repay you.
In its context
19A broken tooth and a slipping foot is confidence in a treacherous man in the day of distress.
20One who takes off a garment on a day of cold, vinegar on natron, and one who sings songs to a troubled heart.
…
23The north wind brings forth rain, and indignant faces, a secret tongue.
24Better to live on a corner of the roof than with a woman of quarrels in a shared house.
Its words in the original
- רָעֵבraev· hungry
Hungry, suffering hunger.
- שֹׂנַאֲsonaa· hate
Hate. In Hebrew it ranges from the hatred of an enemy to simply "loving less". "Those who hate you" are enemies.
- הַאֲכִלֵhaachile· eat
Eat; also consume, devour (said of fire or the sword).
- לָחֶםlachem· bread, food
Bread; in a wide sense, food.
- צָמֵאtsame· thirsty
Thirsty; said of land, dry.
- הַשְׁקֵhashke· give drink, water
Give drink to; water (land or animals).
- מָיִםmayim· water
Water. In Hebrew it is always plural ("waters").
- גֶחָלִיםgechalim· coal, ember
A coal: a burning piece of wood or charcoal.
- חֹתֶהchote· seize; take up (coals)
To take hold of, to seize; said above all of taking up coals from the fire.
- רֹאשׁrosh· head, chief
Head. From there the first or the chief of a group, the top of a mountain, the beginning of something, or the sum; also the branches of a river.
- יהוָהyhva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- יְשַׁלֶּםyeshalem· repay; be complete
Repay, give back what is owed; be complete, be at peace.