PROV 20:19 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.)

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
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).

ULT One who goes about as a gossip reveals a secret,
⇔ and with one who opens his lips do not associate yourself.

UST People who walk around gossiping tell others what is secret,
⇔ so avoid people who speak carelessly.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets;
⇔ therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets;
⇔ therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth.

LSV The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels,
And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.

FBV A gossip goes around revealing secrets; stay away from people who talk a lot.

T4T ⇔ Those who go around telling gossip are always telling secrets to others;
⇔ so stay away from people who foolishly talk too much.

LEB • He reveals a secret, he who walks about with gossip, and do not associate with a babbler’s lips.

BBE He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.

Moff Talebearers let out secrets:
⇔ have nothing to do with a gossip.

JPS He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.

ASV He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets;
⇔ Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.

DRA Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.

YLT A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.

Drby He that goeth about talebearing revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth his lips.

RV He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.
(He that goeth/goes about as a talebearer revealeth/reveals secrets: therefore meddle not with him that openeth/opens wide his lips. )

SLT He revealing a secret going about tale-bearing: and thou shalt not intermingle with him embracing his lips.

Wbstr He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

KJB-1769 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.[fn]
(He that goeth/goes about as a talebearer revealeth/reveals secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. )

20.19 flattereth: or, enticeth

KJB-1611 [fn]He that goeth about as a tale-bearer, reueileth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lippes.
(He that goeth/goes about as a tale-bearer, reveileth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.)

20:19 Or, entiseth.

Bshps The craftie deceiptfull bewrayeth secrete counsayle: therefore meddle not with hym that flattereth with his lips.
(The crafty deceitful bewrayeth secret council/counsel: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.)

Gnva He that goeth about as a slanderer, discouereth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
(He that goeth/goes about as a slanderer, discovereth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. )

Cvdl Medle not with him that bewrayeth secretes, and is a slaunderer, and disceaueth with his lippes.
(Medle not with him that bewrayeth secrets, and is a slanderer, and deceiveth/deceives with his lips.)

Wycl Be thou not medlid with him that schewith pryuetees, and goith gylefulli, and alargith hise lippis.
(Be thou/you not medlid with him that schewith pryuetees, and goeth/goes gylefulli, and alargith his lips.)

Luth Sei unverworren mit dem, der Heimlichkeit offenbart, und mit dem Verleumder und mit dem falschen Maul.
(Be unverworren with to_him, the/of_the Heimlichkeit revealed, and with to_him Verleumder and with to_him wrong/fake mouth.)

ClVg Ei qui revelat mysteria, et ambulat fraudulenter, et dilatat labia sua, ne commiscearis.
(Ei who/which revelat mysteries, and he_walks fraudulently, and dilatat lips his_own, not commiscearis. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s 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

20:19

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. The underlined parts refer to the same person.

^19a He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;

^19bavoid the one who babbles with his lips.

The first line gives the reason for the advice in the second line. It is implied that the person who gossips may reveal the listener’s secrets to someone else.

20:19a

He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;

A person who gossips cannot keep a secret,
You^(sing) cannot trust a gossip/slanderer to keep quiet about something that he should not tell to others.

He who reveals secrets: This phrase refers to telling a secret or a conversation between friends that should not be shared with others.

a constant gossip: a constant gossip is someone who deliberately intends to harm someone or cause trouble by what he says. So you should use a term in your language that indicates slander or malicious gossip, not just idle talk.

Some other ways to translate 20:19a are:

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets (ESV)

A gossip can never keep a secret (GNT)

This line is almost identical to 11:13a.Waltke (page 148). See the notes there.

20:19b

avoid the one who babbles with his lips.

so do not associate^(sing) with such people. They talk too much.
People like that just talk and talk, so stay away from them.

avoid the one who babbles with his lips: This line advises the listener to not associate with a person who talks too much. The phrase that the BSB translates as babbles with his lips is literally “opens his lips wide.”UBS (page 427), Fox (page 671). It refers to a person who speaks carelessly and thoughtlessly as well as someone who talks a lot. Some other ways to translate this line are:

therefore do not associate with a babbler (NRSV)

Stay away from people who talk too much. (GNT)

General Comment on 20:19a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine some of the parallel parts. It may also be more natural to put the advice before the reason. For example:

Do not be friends with a person who gossips and is always talking. A person like that will tell your secrets to others.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

גּֽוֹלֶה־סּ֭וֹד הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל וּ⁠לְ⁠פֹתֶ֥ה שְׂ֝פָתָ֗י⁠ו

reveals secrets goes_about_of gossip and,to,[one_who]_opens lips_of,his

One who goes about, a gossip, a secret, and one who opens his lips refer to types of people and secrets in general, not a specific person or secret. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any person who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets, and with any person who opens his lips”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

רָכִ֑יל

gossip

See how you translated this phrase in [11:13](../11/13.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

וּ⁠לְ⁠פֹתֶ֥ה

and,to,[one_who]_opens

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. Hebrew poetry was based on this kind of repetition, and it would be good to show this to your readers by including both phrases in your translation rather than combining them. However, if it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than and in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “so, with one who opens”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וּ⁠לְ⁠פֹתֶ֥ה שְׂ֝פָתָ֗י⁠ו

and,to,[one_who]_opens lips_of,his

See how you translated one who opens his lips in [13:3](../13/03.md).

Parallel PROV 20:19

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

20:19

20:19a

20:19b

General Comment on 20:19a–b