King James Version

Psalms 34:13

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 34:14.

נְצֹ֣רnetsorbesiegedנָצַרverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “besieged”, a commandH5341to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal, etc.)besieged, hidden thing, keep(-er, -ing), monument, observe, preserve(-r), subtil, watcher(-man).לְשׁוֹנְךָ֣leshonekhatongueלָשׁוֹןnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “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.מֵרָ֑עmerafrom badרַעpreposition, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “from 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…וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָusefateykhaand languageשָׂפָהconjunction, noun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and 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.מִדַּבֵּ֥רmidaberfrom speakדָבַרpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “from speak”, the to-form of the verbH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.מִרְמָֽהmirmahcraftמִרְמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “craft”, the ordinary formH4820fraudcraft, deceit(-ful, -fully), false, feigned, guile, subtilly, treachery.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(34-14) Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.

Young’s Literal Translation

Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking deceit.

World English Bible

Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies.

Darby Translation

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile;

Douay-Rheims

But as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(34-14) Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Παῦσον τὴν γνῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ χείλη σου τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον.

Quoted in

1 Peter 3:10 1 Peter 3:10 · King James VersionFor he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:1 Peter 3:10 · King James VersionOpen the Source
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: