Proverbes 27:16

16 Qui veut la retenir essaie d'arrêter le vent et de saisir de l'huile de sa main.

Proverbes 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.

Proverbes 27:16 In-Context

14 Celui qui bénit son ami à haute voix, de bon matin, sera considéré comme s'il le maudissait.
15 Une gouttière continuelle au temps d'une grosse pluie, et une femme querelleuse, c'est tout un.
16 Qui veut la retenir essaie d'arrêter le vent et de saisir de l'huile de sa main.
17 Comme le fer aiguise le fer, ainsi un homme en aiguise un autre.
18 Celui qui garde le figuier, mangera de son fruit; ainsi celui qui garde son maître sera honoré.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.