Proverbs 16:30

The one who winks his eyes ¹  devises perverse things, and ²  one who compresses his lips ³  brings about ⁴  evil.

He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.

He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

With narrowed eyes, they plot evil; without a word, they plan their mischief.

A shifty eye betrays an evil intention; a clenched jaw signals trouble ahead.

He whose eyes are shut is a man of twisted purposes, and he who keeps his lips shut tight makes evil come about.

One who winks the eyes plans perverse things; one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.

He winks his eye to devise perverse things; He purses his lips and brings about evil.

The one who winks his eyes ¹  devises perverse things, and ²  one who compresses his lips ³  brings about ⁴  evil.

¹ sn The participle עֹצֶה (’otseh) describes one as shutting his eyes (cf. KJV, ASV). This could mean simply “closing the eyes,” or it could refer to “winking” (so many English versions). The proverb is saying that facial expressions often reveal if someone is plotting evil (e.g., 6:13-14).

² tn The conjunction “and” does not appear in the Hebrew but is implied by the synonymous parallelism.

³ tn The participle קֹרֵץ (qorets) indicates that the person involved is pinching, compressing, or biting his lips (cf. NIV “purses his lips”).

⁴ tn The verb is a Piel perfect; it means “complete, finish, bring to an end.” The two cola may form the whole process: The first line has “to devise” evil, and the second has “he completes” evil. BDB, however, classifies this use of the Piel as “to accomplish in thought” meaning “to determine” something (BDB 478 s.v. כָּלָה 1f). In that case the two lines would have synonymous ideas, i.e., using facial expressions to plan evil actions.