Proverbs 25:14

Like cloudy skies and wind that produce no rain, ¹  so is the one who boasts ²  of a gift not given. ³ 

1Ki 22:11; Pr 20:6; Lu 14:11; Lu 18:10-14; 2Co 11:13-18,31; 2Pe 2:15-19; Jude 1:12,13,16

¹ sn The emblem now is one of clouds and winds that would be expected to produce rain; they gain attention and raise people’s expectations but prove to be disappointing when no rain is forthcoming, and hence could be thought of as deceitful.

² tn The form מִתְהַלֵּל (mithallel) is the Hitpael participle of the well-known word for “praise”; but in this stem it means “to praise oneself” or “to boast.” The description of “windbag” seems appropriate in this context.

³ tn Heb “a gift of falsehood.” This would mean that the individual brags about giving a gift, when there is no gift.