Proverbs 27:9–10
A friend's sweetness gladdens; don't forsake him; a near neighbor beats a far brother
Study it word by word9Oil and incense make glad the heart, and the sweetness of one’s friend is more than the counsel of the soul.
10Your friend and your father’s friend do not abandon; and do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
In its context
7A sated soul tramples the honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8Like a bird that wanders from its nest, so is a man who wanders from his place.
…
11Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, and I will return a word to whoever reproaches me.
12The shrewd sees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are fined.
Its words in the original
- שֶׁמֶןshemen· oil
Olive oil. It was used for food, light, and perfume, and also to consecrate something or someone to God (anoint).
- קְטֹרֶתketoret· incense
Incense: a mixture of spices burned to give sweet-smelling smoke; also the smoke of a burned sacrifice.
- יְשַׂמַּחyesamach· rejoice
Rejoice, be glad; make glad.
- לֵבlev· heart
Heart. In Hebrew it is not only the place of feelings: it is the center of the person, where one thinks, decides and wills; also the middle of something.
- מֶתֶקmetek· sweetness
Sweetness; the pleasantness of words.
- רֵעֵree· neighbor, friend
The other person one deals with: companion, neighbor, friend; in the laws, "neighbor". "One to another" is "a man to his neighbor".
- עֲצַתatsat· counsel
Counsel: good judgment for deciding; also a plan.
- נָפֶשׁnafesh· 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.
- אָבִיavi· father
Father; also ancestor ("our fathers"), and the founder or head of a family or group.
- תַּעֲזֹבtaazov· leave, forsake
Leave, forsake, abandon; also let go, leave behind for someone.
- בֵיתvet· house, household
House. Also the family that lives in it ("the house of Noah") and someone's descendants ("the house of David"); also a temple, "the house of God".
- אָחִיachi· brother
Brother; also a close relative, or someone of the same people.
- תָּבוֹאtavo· come, go in, bring
Come, arrive, go in, enter. In the causative form, "bring" or "carry in". "Go in to" a woman is to have marital relations with her.
- יוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- אֵידֶede· calamity
Calamity: a great misfortune that falls on someone.
- טוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".
- שָׁכֵןshachen· neighbor, resident
Neighbor (man or woman); also a temporary resident.
- קָרוֹבkarov· near
Near, close; also a close relative.
- רָחוֹקrachok· far, distant
Far, distant, remote, in place or in time; often "from afar".