H3887 H3887
To scoff or mock contemptuously; also (Hifil) to act as interpreter, mediator, or envoy between parties
A verb whose two senses seem worlds apart yet share an etymological thread of indirect speech. In the Qal and much of the Hifil, it describes the scoffer or mocker -- the 'letz' who sits in the seat of scornful ones (Ps 1:1) and delights in derision (Prov 1:22). Wisdom literature uses this figure as a foil for the wise. In a distinct Hifil usage, the same root yields 'interpreter' or 'mediator,' one who speaks obliquely on behalf of another. Joseph's interpreter stood between him and his brothers (Gen 42:23), and Job longed for a heavenly advocate (Job 33:23). The semantic bridge may be the idea of speaking sideways -- whether to ridicule or to translate.
1. to scoff, mock, deride — To mock, scoff at, or deride with contemptuous speech, expressing proud disdain for wisdom, correction, or authority. The 'letz' (scoffer) is a stock character in Proverbs: incapable of receiving discipline (Prov 9:7-8), an abomination to others (Prov 24:9), and contrasted with the wise. Spanish 'escarnecedor' and French 'moqueur' consistently mark this sense. Key passages: Ps 1:1, Prov 3:34. 22×
AR["الْمُسْتَهْزِئَ","الْمُسْتَهْزِئُ","الْمُسْتَهْزِئِ","تَسْتَهْزِئُوا","سَخِرُوا-مِنِّي","لِلمُسْتَهْزِئينَ","لِلْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ","لِمُسْتَهْزِئٍ","مُسْتَهْزِئًا","مُسْتَهْزِئٌ","وَ-إِنْ-اسْتَهْزَأْتَ","وَ-الْمُسْتَهْزِئُونَ","وَ-مُسْتَهْزِئٌ","يَسْتَهْزِئُ","يَسْخَرونَ","يَسْخَرُ"]·ben["-এর-প্রতি-বিদ্রুপকারীদের","উপহাস-করে","উপহাসক","এবং-বিদ্রূপক","এবং-যদি-তুমি-বিদ্রূপ-কর","ও-বিদ্রুপকারীরা","ঠাট্টা-কর","তারা-বিদ্রূপ-করেছে","বিদ্রুপ-করেন","বিদ্রূপক","বিদ্রূপকারী","বিদ্রূপকারীকে","বিদ্রূপকারীদের-জন্য","বিদ্রূপকে"]·DE["Spoetter","Spötter","[ולצת]","[יליץ]","[לץ]","[תתלוצצו]","und-Spoetter","zu-Spoetter"]·EN["a-scoffer","and-if-you-scoff","and-scoffers","be-scoffers","but-a-scoffer","for-scoffers","have-derided-me","mock","mocker","mocks","scoffer","scoffs","the-scoffer","toward-scoffers"]·FR["[תתלוצצו]","et-se-moquer","le-moquer","se-moquer"]·heb["הליצוני","ו-לץ","ו-לצים","ו-לצת","יליץ","ל-לצים","לץ","תתלוצצו"]·HI["उपहास-करता-है","और-ठट्ठा","और-ठट्ठा-करनेवाले","और-ठट्ठा-करे","ठट्ठा","ठट्ठा-करता-है","ठट्ठा-करते-हैं","ठट्ठा-करनेवाले-को","ठट्ठा-करनेवालों-को","ठट्ठा-करो","ठट्ठा-को","ठट्ठे-को","ठट्ठों-के-लिए"]·ID["Pencemooh","bagi-pencemooh","dan-jika-engkau-mencemooh","dan-para-pencemooh","kamu-mencemooh","kepada-para-pencemooh","mencemooh","mencemooh-ku","mengejek","pencemooh","tetapi-pencemooh"]·IT["al-beffardo","beffardo","beffarsi","beffatore","e-beffardo"]·jav["dhateng-tiyang-moyoki","kanggé-tiyang-moyok","lan-tiyang-moyoki","lan-yèn-moyoki","moyoki","panjenengan-moyoki","sami-moyoki-kula","tiyang-moyok","tiyang-moyoki"]·KO["거만한-자-를","거만한-자는","거만한-자들-을-위하여","거만한-자라-이름이","거만한-자를","그러나-조롱하는-자-는","그리고-조롱하는-자-들-은","그리고-조롱하면","비웃는다","조롱하느니라","조롱하는-자-는","조롱하는-자-들-에게","조롱하는-자-를","조롱하는-자이니라","조롱하였나이다-나-를","조롱하지","조롱한다"]·PT["Zombador","aos-zombadores","e-escarnecedor","e-se-escarneceres","e-zombadores","escarnecedor","para-zombadores","zomba","zomba-de","zombador","zombam","zombaram-muito-de-mim","zombeis"]·RU["И-насмешники","а-насмешник","для-насмешников","и-если-насмехался-ты","издевались-над-мной","над-насмешниками","насмехается,","насмехается-над","насмехайтесь","насмехаются-над","насмешник","насмешника"]·ES["Al-escarnecedor","Escarnecedor","a-los-burladores","al-escarnecedor","burlador","es-el-escarnecedor","escarnece","escarnecedor","os-burléis","para-los-escarnecedores","se-burla-de","se-burlan-de","se-burlaron-de-mí","y-burlador","y-burladores","y-si-burlaste"]·SW["anadhihaki","dhihaki","huwadhihaki","kwa-wadhihaki","lakini-mdhihaki","mdhihaki","mpige","mwenye-dharau","na-ukidhihaki","na-wenye-dhihaka","wamenicheka","wanadhihaki","wenye-dhihaka"]·TR["alay-eder","alay-ettiler-bana","alaycı","alaycılara","alaycıyı","alayi-yapan","alaylı","alaylıdır","alaylılar-için","alaylıyı","ve-alay-ettiysen","ve-alaycı","ve-alaycılar"]·urd["اور-ٹھٹھا-کرنے-والا","اور-ٹھٹھا-کرنے-والے","اور-ٹھٹھا-کیا","مذاق-اُڑاتے-ہیں","ٹھٹکا-باز","ٹھٹھا-باز","ٹھٹھا-باز-کو","ٹھٹھا-بازوں-کے-لیے","ٹھٹھا-کرتا-ہے","ٹھٹھا-کرنے-والا","ٹھٹھا-کرنے-والوں-کو","ٹھٹھا-کرنے-والے-کو","ٹھٹھا-کرو","ٹھٹھا-کیا-مجھ-پر"]
Ps 1:1, Ps 119:51, Prov 1:22, Prov 3:34, Prov 3:34, Prov 9:7, Prov 9:8, Prov 9:12, Prov 13:1, Prov 14:6, Prov 14:9, Prov 15:12 (+10 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. interpreter, mediator, envoy — To serve as interpreter, mediator, or envoy who conveys messages between parties (Hifil participle in diplomatic or advocacy contexts). Joseph used an interpreter ('melitz') when speaking with his brothers (Gen 42:23), and Job envisions a heavenly mediator who might advocate before God (Job 33:23). Spanish 'interprete' and 'embajadores' capture the diplomatic nuance, while German leaves the Hebrew untranslated, reflecting this rarer sense. 5×
AR["الْ-مُتَرْجِمَ","بِسُفَرَاءِ","شَفيعٌ","مُسْتَهْزِئِيَّ","وَوُسَطَاؤُكَ"]·ben["আমার-বন্ধুরা","এবং-তোমার-মধ্যস্থতাকারীরা","দূতদের-সম্বন্ধে","দোভাষী","মধ্যস্থতাকারী"]·DE["[במליצי]","[ומליציך]","[מליץ]","[מליצי]","der-Dolmetscher"]·EN["an-interpreter","and-your-mediators","my-interpreters","the-interpreter","with-envoys-of"]·FR["[במליצי]","[ומליציך]","le-interprète","se-moquer","se-moquer-moi"]·heb["ב-מליצי ׀","ה-מליץ","ו-מליציך","מליץ","מליצי"]·HI["और-मध्यस्थों-तेरे","दुभाषिया","दूतों-में-","मध्यस्थ","मेरे-मध्यस्थ"]·ID["dan-perantara-perantaramu","dengan-utusan-utusan","juru bicara","pencemoohku","penerjemah"]·IT["[במליצי]","beffardo","beffardo-mio","e-beffarsi","il-interpreter"]·jav["juru-basa","juru-bicara-kawula","juru-terang","lan-juru-bicara-panjenengan","wonten-ing-para-utusan"]·KO["그리고-너의-중보자들이","나의-중보자들이여","에-사신들-","중보자","통역이"]·PT["Meus-escarnecedores","e-intercessores-teus","mediador","nos-embaixadores-de","o-intérprete"]·RU["заступник","и-посредники-твои","переводчик","с-послами","ходатай-мой"]·ES["Mis-intérpretes","con-embajadores-de","el-intérprete","mediador","y-tus-intérpretes"]·SW["biּmliytsey","mfalme-wa-wa","mpatanishi","na-waombezi-wako","waombezi-wangu"]·TR["-tercüman","arabulucu","aracılarım","elçilerinde","ve-sozculeriniz"]·urd["اور-تیرے-رہنماؤں-نے","ایلچیوں-سے","ترجمان-تھا","میرے-سفارشی","وکیل"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [לִיץ] vb. scorn (NH id.; vb. not in cognates; cf. Ph. מלץ interpreter CIS22.44.88; Arabic لَاصَ is turn aside (intrans.); hence perhaps prop. speak indirectly or obliquely, FlDe Pr 1, 6);— Qal Pf. 3 m. לַצְתָּ Pr 9:12; Impf. יָלִיץ 3:34 + 2 times; Pt. לֵץ 9:7 + 11 times; pl. לֵצִים ψ 1:1 + 3 times;—scorn, וְלַצְתָּ לְבַדְּךָ תִשָּׂא Pr 9:12 if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it (opp.…