King James Version

Proverbs 20:19

He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

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Hebrew

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גּֽוֹלֶהgolehexileגָּלָהverb, qal, participle, absolute — “exile”, a verb used as a describing wordH1540to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal[phrase] advertise, appear, bewray, bring, (carry, lead, go) captive (into captivity), depart, disclose, discover, exile, be gone, open, [idiom] plainly, publish, remove, reveal, [idiom] shamelessly, shew, [idiom] surely, tell, uncover.סּ֭וֹדsodsecretסוֹדnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “secret”, the ordinary formH5475a session, i.e. company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication, intimacy, consultation, a secretassembly, consel, inward, secret (counsel).הוֹלֵ֣ךְholekhewalkהָלַךְverb, qal, participle, construct — “walk”, a verb used as a describing wordH1980to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, [phrase] be eased, enter, exercise (self), [phrase] follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), [phrase] gre…רָכִ֑ילrakhilslanderרָכִילnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “slander”, the ordinary formH7400a scandal-monger (as travelling about)slander, carry tales, talebearer.וּלְפֹתֶ֥הulefotehand to allureפָּתָהconjunction, preposition, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “and to allure”, a verb used as a describing wordH6601to open, i.e. be (causatively, make) roomy; usually figuratively (in a mental or moral sense) to be (causatively, make) simple or (in a sinister way) deludeallure, deceive, enlarge, entice, flatter, persuade, silly (one).שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יוsefatayvlanguageשָׂפָהnoun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “language”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8193the 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.לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…תִתְעָרָֽבtitaravgive pledgesעָרַבverb, hithpael, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “give pledges”, an unfinished actionH6148to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange)engage, (inter-) meddle (with), mingle (self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be(-come, put in) surety, undertake.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

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

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Young’s Literal Translation

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

World English Bible

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

Darby Translation

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

Douay-Rheims

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

Jewish Publication Society (1917)