PROV 12:19 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Lips that produce reliable words will always be trusted,
⇔ ^ but a tongue that spurts out lies will be believed only for a moment.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Χείλη ἀληθινὰ κατορθοῖ μαρτυρίαν, μάρτυς δὲ ταχὺς γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἄδικον.
(Ⱪeilaʸ alaʸthina katorthoi marturian, martus de taⱪus glōssan eⱪei adikon. )

ULT A lip of truth will be established to perpetuity,
⇔ but a tongue of falsehood as long as I would blink.

UST What people say truthfully will last forever,
⇔ but what people say falsely will only last for a moment.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Truth’s lips will be established forever,
⇔ but a lying tongue is only momentary.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The one who tells the truth will endure forever,
⇔ but the one who lies will last only for a moment.

LSV The lip of truth is established forever,
And a tongue of falsehood for a moment.

FBV Words of truth last forever, but lies are gone in a moment.

T4T ⇔ When people tell [MTY] lies, others soon realize that what they said is not true [IDM];
⇔ but when people say what is true, others will remember that forever.

LEB • A lip of truth endures forever, but a tongue of deception lasts only a moment.

BBE True lips are certain for ever, but a false tongue is only for a minute.

Moff Truth told endures:
⇔ a lie lasts only for a little while.

JPS The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

ASV The lip of truth shall be established for ever;
⇔ But a lying tongue is but for a moment.

DRA The lip of truth shall be steadfast for ever: but he that is a hasty witness, frameth a lying tongue.

YLT The lip of truth is established for ever, And for a moment — a tongue of falsehood.

Drby The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

RV The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
(The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. )

SLT The lip of truth shall be prepared forever: and the tongue of falsehood while I shall wink.

Wbstr The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

KJB-1769 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
(The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. )

KJB-1611 The lippe of trueth shall bee established for euer: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps The lippe of trueth shalbe stable for euer: but a dissemblyng tongue is soone chaunged.
(The lip of truth shall be stable forever: but a dissembling tongue is soon changed.)

Gnva The lip of trueth shall be stable for euer: but a lying tongue varieth incontinently.
(The lip of truth shall be stable forever: but a lying tongue varieth incontinently. )

Cvdl A true mouth is euer constat, but a dyssemblinge toge is soone chaunged.
(A true mouth is ever constat, but a dyssemblinge tongue is soon changed.)

Wycl The lippe of treuthe schal be stidfast with outen ende; but he that is a sudeyn witnesse, makith redi the tunge of leesyng.
(The lip of truth shall be steadfast without end; but he that is a sudeyn witness, maketh/makes ready the tongue of falsehood.)

Luth Wahrhaftiger Mund bestehet ewiglich; aber die falsche Zunge bestehet nicht lange.
(Wahrhaftiger mouth exists forever; but the false tongue exists not long.)

ClVg Labium veritatis firmum erit in perpetuum; qui autem testis est repentinus, concinnat linguam mendacii.[fn]
(Labium to_the_truths firmum will_be in/into/on forever; who/which however testis it_is repentinus, concinnat tongue/language lies. )

12.19 Labium veritatis, etc. Fides catholica semper permanebit; qui autem repente nova dogmata inserit, mendacii minister est.

12.19 Labium to_the_truths, etc. Faith Catholic/universal always will_remain; who/which however suddenly new dogmas inserit, lies minister it_is.

SOTN SIL Open Translation Notes:

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs. It has a very different structure from the longer poetic lectures of chapters 1–9. It consists mostly of individual couplets (two-line poems) that are each one verse in length. With the exception of the title (10:1a), paragraph breaks will not be indicated in the Notes or Display. You may of course choose to start each proverb as a separate paragraph in your translation.

In chapters 10–15, most of these one-verse couplets express a contrast between the two lines. One of the more common contrasts is between the righteous/wise and the wicked/foolish and the different consequences of their conduct.

In chapters 16:1–22:16, more topics are discussed. There is more emphasis on the role of the king and other leaders. In these chapters, there are few proverbs with contrasting lines. Some of the parallel lines are similar in meaning. More frequently, the second line adds to what the first line says or gives an example. Most of the verses have no obvious connection with the previous or following proverbs.UBS (page 214), Fox (page 509), McKane (page 413). Many scholars, including McKane, point out that there are some topical groupings as well as poetic connections. These include the repetition of certain words or sounds. This observation does not deny the individual nature of most of the proverbs in this Section.

Two of the types of proverbs in this section are not found in chapters 1–9. One type contains logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. See 11:31 for a list of these proverbs. There are also several varieties of complex “better than” proverbs. The most common have a contrasting situation in each line (see 12:9). For other varieties, see 16:16, 19:1, and 21:9.

Many of the proverbs in this section refer to categories of people who share a common trait. For example, they refer to the righteous, the wise, the poor, and the lazy. In Hebrew, some verses use singular forms to refer to these groups of people. Other verses use plural forms. Still others use a combination of singular and plural. See the note on 10:30a–b for one example. For most of these verses, the Notes will not comment on the difference between singular and plural forms. Use a natural way in your language to refer to one or more people who are in the same category.

Many of the proverbs in this section express a general principle in abstract terms. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. For example, 10:2a–b says:

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,

but righteousness delivers from death.

However, the author intended his readers to understand these proverbs as advice that they should follow. In some languages, authors or speakers give advice more directly, using pronouns such as you^(sing), you^(plur), we^(dual), or we^(incl). See the note on 10:2 for translation suggestions.

Some other headings for this section are:

Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

The Wise Words of Solomon (NCV)

Here are many wise things that Solomon said

12:19

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^19a Truthful lips endure forever,

^19bbut a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

12:19a

Truthful lips endure forever,

Truthful words remain reliable/true forever,
If a statement is true, people will continue to believe it forever.

12:19b

but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

but lying words are soon discovered to be untrue/unreliable.
If it is false, they will soon find out and stop believing it.

12:19a–b

Truthful lips…a lying tongue: These phrases are figures of speech (metonymy).The NET version and notes identify this as synecdoche (“the one who tells the truth” and “the one who lies”). Garrett (p. 132) is the only scholar who seems to support synecdoche. All others understand metonymy. It seems more logical to understand truth/truthful words as being reliable and thus standing the test of time, rather than a truthful person living forever. They represent the truthful or lying words produced by the lips and tongue.

endure forever…lasts only a moment: The truth is permanently reliable or valid. No matter how much time passes, it continues to be true. By contrast, people soon find out that a lie is not true, and then they stop believing it.

Some ways to translate this verse are:

Truth stands the test of time; lies are soon exposed. (NLT96)

Truth will continue forever, but lies are only for a moment. (NCV)

General Comment on 12:19a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of the lines so the positive statement comes last. For example:

A lie has a short life, but truth lives on forever. (GNT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

שְֽׂפַת

language_of

Here, the word lip represents lips in general, not one particular lip. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more natural expression. Alternate translation: “Lips of”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שְֽׂפַת

language_of

Here, lip refers to what people say by moving their lips. See how you translated the same use of “lips” in [10:18](../10/18.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

שְֽׂפַת־אֱ֭מֶת

language_of truthful

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a lip that speaks truth. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “A lip that speaks truth” or “True sayings”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

תִּכּ֣וֹן

endure

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “will exist”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לָ⁠עַ֑ד

forever,

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of perpetuity, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “perpetually”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠עַד־אַ֝רְגִּ֗יעָה לְשׁ֣וֹן שָֽׁקֶר

and=unto a_moment tongue_of lying

Solomon is leaving out a word in this clause that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply this word from the previous clause if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “but a tongue of falsehood will be established for as long as I would blink” or “but a tongue of falsehood will exist for as long as I would blink”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לְשׁ֣וֹן שָֽׁקֶר

tongue_of lying

See how you translated this phrase in [6:17](../06/17.md).

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וְ⁠עַד־אַ֝רְגִּ֗יעָה

and=unto a_moment