King James Version

Proverbs 12:18

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

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Hebrew

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יֵ֣שׁyeshareיֵשׁparticle, demonstrative — “are”H3426there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)(there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.בּ֭וֹטֶהbotehpronounceבָּטָאverb, qal, participle, absolute — “pronounce”, a verb used as a describing wordH981to babble; hence, to vociferate angrilypronounce, speak (unadvisedly).כְּמַדְקְר֣וֹתkemadqerotas piercingמַדְקָרָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, construct — “as piercing”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4094a woundpiercing.חָ֑רֶבcharevknifeחֶרֶבnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “knife”, the ordinary formH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.וּלְשׁ֖וֹןuleshonand tongueלָשׁוֹןconjunction, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “and tongue”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3956the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water)[phrase] babbler, bay, [phrase] evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge.חֲכָמִ֣יםchakhamimwise , manחָכָםadjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “wise , man”, the ordinary formH2450wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)cunning (man), subtil, (un-), wise((hearted), man).מַרְפֵּֽאmarpecureמַרְפֵּאnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “cure”, the ordinary formH4832properly, curative, i.e. literally (concretely) a medicine, or (abstractly) a cure; figuratively (concretely) deliverance, or (abstractly) placidity(in-)cure(-able), healing(-lth), remedy, sound, wholesome, yielding.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.

Young’s Literal Translation

A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword, And the tongue of the wise is healing.

World English Bible

There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

Darby Translation

There is that babbleth like the piercings of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health.

Douay-Rheims

There is that promiseth, and is pricked as it were with a sword of conscience: but the tongue of the wise is health.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword; but the tongue of the wise is health.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Some wound as they speak, like swords; but the tongues of the wise heal.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Εἰσὶν οἳ λέγοντες τιτρώσκουσι, μάχαιραι· γλῶσσαι δὲ σοφῶν ἰῶνται.