King James Version

Proverbs 26:23

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

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Hebrew

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כֶּ֣סֶףkesefmoneyכֶּסֶףnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “money”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3701silver (from its pale color); by implication, moneymoney, price, silver(-ling).סִ֭יגִיםsigimdrossסִיגnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “dross”, the ordinary formH5509scoriadross.מְצֻפֶּ֣הmetsupehcoverצָפָהverb, pual, passive participle, absolute — “cover”, a verb used as a describing wordH6823to sheet over (especially with metal)cover, overlay.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…חָ֑רֶשׂcharesearthחֶרֶשׂnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “earth”, the ordinary formH2789a piece of potteryearth(-en), (pot-) sherd, [phrase] stone.שְׂפָתַ֖יִםsefatayimlanguageשָׂפָהnoun, common, feminine, dual, absolute — “language”, the ordinary formH8193the 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.דֹּלְקִ֣יםdoleqimburningדָּלַקverb, qal, participle, absolute — “burning”, a verb used as a describing wordH1814to flame (literally or figuratively)burning, chase, inflame, kindle, persecute(-or), pursue hotly.וְלֶבvelevand comfortablyלֵבconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and comfortably”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…רָֽעrabadרַעadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “bad”, the ordinary formH7451bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, [phrase] displease(-ure), distress, evil((-favouredness), man, thing), [phrase] exceedingly, [idiom] great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), [phrase] mark, mischief(-vous), misery…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Fervent lips and a wicked heart Are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

Young’s Literal Translation

Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.

World English Bible

Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.

Darby Translation

Ardent lips, and a wicked heart, are [as] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

Douay-Rheims

Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Silver dishonestly given is to be considered as a potsherd: smooth lips cover a grievous heart.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἀργύριον διδόμενον μετὰ δόλου, ὥσπερ ὄστρακον ἡγητέον· χείλη λεῖα καρδίαν καλύπτει λυπηράν.