how to say “nose ring” in Hebrew
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Last week I introduced the Hebrew word for anklet and bracelet – צָמִיד (tsah-MEED). I said that the word doesn’t appear as such in Biblical Hebrew, but upon a reader drawing my attention to a couple of verses in סֵפֶר בְּרֵאשִׁית (SEH-fehr beh-reh-SHEET) – the Book of Genesis – I realized that the word certainly dose describe the bracelets (and perhaps anklets) of Biblical times.
Since we’re already on the theme of jewelry, I’ll now introduce the word for nose ring, a Hebrew term as ancient as any: נֶזֶם (NEH-zem). Unlike the case of צמיד functioning for both bracelet and anklet, נזם refers only to a ring placed in the nose; an earring, in contrast, is an עָגִיל (ah-GHEEL).
Probably the most well-known place in the Bible where נזם appears is in מִשְׁלֵי י”א, כ”ב (meesh-LEH-ee – Proverbs 11:22):
…נֶזֶם זָהָב בְּאַף חֲזִיר (NEH-zem zah-HAHV beh-AHF khah-ZEER) – a golden nose ring in the snout of a pig. The verse refers to something precious found in a contaminated place, akin to the English expression, a diamond in the rough.
