King James Version

Proverbs 25:23

The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

ר֣וּחַruchaangerרוּחַnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “anger”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7307wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y).צָ֭פוֹןtsafonnorthצָפוֹןnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “north”, the ordinary formH6828properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as aquarter (gloomy and unknown)north(-ern, side, -ward, wind).תְּח֣וֹלֵֽלtecholeldanceחוּלverb, polel, imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “dance”, an unfinished actionH2342properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear; figuratively, to wait, to pervertbear, (make to) bring forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously (with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope, look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake, shapen, (be) sorrow(-ful), stay, tarr…גָּ֑שֶׁםgashemshowerגֶּשֶׁםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “shower”, the ordinary formH1653a showerrain, shower.וּפָנִ֥יםufanimand a- foreפָּנִיםconjunction, noun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “and a- fore”, the ordinary formH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…נִ֝זְעָמִ֗יםnizamimabhorזָעַםverb, niphal, participle, absolute — “abhor”, a verb used as a describing wordH2194properly, to foam at the mouth, i.e. to be enragedabhor, abominable, (be) angry, defy, (have) indignation.לְשׁ֣וֹןleshontongueלָשׁוֹןnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “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.סָֽתֶרsaterbackbitingסֵתֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “backbiting”, the ordinary formH5643a cover (in a good or a bad, a literal or a figurative sense)backbiting, covering, covert, [idiom] disguise(-th), hiding place, privily, protection, secret(-ly, place).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The north wind bringeth forth rain, and a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

The north wind bringeth forth rain; So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

Young’s Literal Translation

A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.

World English Bible

The north wind produces rain; so a backbiting tongue brings an angry face.

Darby Translation

The north wind bringeth forth rain, and the angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

Douay-Rheims

The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

The north wind bringeth forth rain, and a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἄνεμος Βορέας ἐξεγείρει νέφη, πρόσωπον δὲ ἀναιδὲς γλῶσσαν ἐρεθίζει·