Mishle 25:19

19 Confidence in a boged in the yom tzarah is like a shen ra’ah (bad tooth), and a regel out of joint.

Mishle 25:19 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 25:19

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
It is not good to put confidence in any man, not in princes, nor in the best of men; much less in an unfaithful, prevaricating, and treacherous man; and especially in a time of distress and trouble, depending on his help and assistance, which is leaning on a broken reed, and trusting to a broken staff. Or, "the confidence of an unfaithful man in time of trouble" ^F15; that which he puts confidence in; who trusts in his riches, or in his righteousness, or in his own heart, all which are vain and deceitful: [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint;
which are so far from being of any use, the one in eating food, and the other in walking, that they are both an hindrance to those actions, and cause pain and uneasiness: or, "a bad tooth", so the Targum and Syriac version; a rotten one.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (dgwb xjbm) "fiducia praevaricatoris", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "fiducia perfidi", Cocceius, Michaelis.

Mishle 25:19 In-Context

17 Let thy regel (foot) seldom be in thy neighbor’s bais; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

18 An ish that beareth ed sheker (false witness) against his re’a is a club, and a cherev, and a sharp khetz (arrow).

19 Confidence in a boged in the yom tzarah is like a shen ra’ah (bad tooth), and a regel out of joint.

20 As he that taketh away a beged (garment) on a cold day, and as chometz (vinegar) upon lye, so is he that singeth shirim (songs) to a lev rah (heavy heart, i.e., depressed person).

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him lechem to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him mayim to drink;