שִׂפְתֵי
𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤉
sifetey
lips
or (in dual and plural) שֶׂפֶת; probably from סָפָה or שָׁפָה through the idea of termination (compare סוֹף); the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.); band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, prating, (sea-)shore, side, speech, talk, (vain) words.
Proverbs 16:10 · Word #3
Lexicon H8193
| Lemma | שָׂפָה |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤔𐤐𐤄 |
| Transliteration | sâphâh |
| Strong's | H8193 |
| In-context | lips |
Morphology HNcfdc
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | f — Feminine — Feminine |
| Number | d — Dual — Dual (exactly two) |
| State | c — Construct — The noun is bound to the following word |
SIBI-P1 H8193-25
the two lips of
| Root | שׂפה (s-p-h) |
| Core Meanings | edge, boundary, lip, margin, language, speech |
| Semantic Range | physical lips; speech or utterance; language; edge or rim of an object; shoreline or bank; border or boundary |
| Conceptual Significance | שָׂפָה links the physical boundary of the lips with the concept of language and speech, underscoring how words emerge from a liminal edge. In biblical theology, the "lips" often symbolize confession, praise, deception, or covenantal speech, highlighting the moral and communal power of spoken words. |
| Morphological Notes | Common feminine noun in the dual construct form (HNcfdc). The dual ending indicates a natural pair (lips), and the construct state requires a following genitive ("of ..."). |
| Rendering Rationale | שִׂפְתֵי is the feminine dual construct form of שָׂפָה, literally referring to the two lips as paired boundaries of the mouth. Rendering it as "the two lips of" preserves both the dual number and the construct relationship, while maintaining the root idea of an edge or boundary that frames speech. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root שׂפה (edge, boundary, lip, margin, language, speech)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
H8193-01 |
besefetoteykha | within your lips |
H8193-02 |
besifetey | in the two boundary-lips of |
H8193-03 |
besifetoteyhem | in their lips |
Word Usage (177 occurrences of H8193)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis 11:1 | שָׂפָ֣ה | safah | language |
| Genesis 11:6 | וְ/שָׂפָ֤ה | vesafah | and language |
| Genesis 11:7 | שְׂפָתָ֑/ם | sefatam | their language |