Proverbs 27:16

16 whoever can restrain her can restrain the wind or keep perfume on his hand from making itself known.

Proverbs 27:16 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 27:16

Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind
Whoever attempts to stop her brawls and contentions, to repress and restrain them, and hinder her voice being heard in the streets, and endeavours to hide the shame that comes upon herself and family, attempts a thing as impossible as to hide the wind in the palm of a man's hand, or to stop it from blowing; for as that, by being restrained or pent up by any methods that can be used, makes the greater noise, so, by all the means that are used to still a contentious woman, she is but the more noisy and clamorous, and becomes more shameful and infamous; and the ointment of his right hand, [which] bewrayeth [itself]:
or "will call" or "calls" F8, and says, in effect, Here am I; for the smell of it, which cannot be hid when held in a man's hand, betrays it; and the faster he holds it, and the more he presses and squeezes it, and the more it is heated hereby, the more it diffuses its savour, and is known to be where it is; and so all attempts to stop the mouth of a brawling woman does but cause her to brawl the louder.


FOOTNOTES:

F8 (arqy) "clamabit", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Vatablus, Mercerus; "vocabit", Baynus; "clamat", Piscator, Michaelis; "praeconem agit", Schultens.

Proverbs 27:16 In-Context

14 Whoever greets his neighbor in a loud voice at dawn might just as well have cursed him.
15 A leak that keeps dripping on a rainy day and the nagging of a wife are the same -
16 whoever can restrain her can restrain the wind or keep perfume on his hand from making itself known.
17 Just as iron sharpens iron, a person sharpens the character of his friend.
18 Whoever tends the fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who is attentive to his master will be honored.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.