King James Version

Psalms 55:21

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 55:22.

חָלְק֤וּchaleqvseparate selfחָלַקverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “separate self”, a completed actionH2505to be smooth (figuratively); by implication (as smooth stones were used for lots) to apportion or separatedeal, distribute, divide, flatter, give, (have, im-) part(-ner), take away a portion, receive, separate self, (be) smooth(-er).מַחְמָאֹ֣תmachmaotsomething buttery (iמַחֲמָאָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, construct — “something buttery (i”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4260something buttery (i.e. unctuous and pleasant), as (figuratively) flattery[idiom] than butter.פִּיו֮pivedgeפֶּהnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “edge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according toaccord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] s…וּֽקֲרָבuqaravand battleקְרָבconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and battle”, the ordinary formH7128hostile encounterbattle, war.לִ֫בּ֥וֹlibvocomfortablyלֵבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “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]…רַכּ֖וּrakvfaintרָכַךְverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “faint”, a completed actionH7401to soften (intransitively or transitively), used figuratively(be) faint(-hearted), mollify, (be, make) soft(-er), be tender.דְבָרָ֥יוdevarayvcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…מִשֶּׁ֗מֶןmishemenfrom oliveשֶׁמֶןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “from olive”, the ordinary formH8081grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richnessanointing, [idiom] fat (things), [idiom] fruitful, oil(-ed), ointment, olive, [phrase] pine.וְהֵ֣מָּהvehemahand theyהֵםconjunction, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.פְתִחֽוֹתfetichotdrawn swordפְּתִחָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “drawn sword”, the ordinary formH6609something opened, i.e. a drawn sworddrawn sword.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(55-22) Smoother than cream were the speeches of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet were they keen-edged swords.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war: His words were softer than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.

Young’s Literal Translation

Sweeter than honey hath been his mouth, And his heart [is] war! Softer have been his words than oil, And they [are] drawn [swords].

World English Bible

His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

Darby Translation

Smooth were the milky [words] of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(55-22) Smoother than cream were the speeches of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet were they keen-edged swords.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

They were scattered at the anger of his countenance, and his heart drew nigh them. His words were smoother than oil, yet are they darts.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Διεμερίσθησαν ἀπὸ ὀργῆς τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἤγγισεν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ· ἡπαλύνθησαν οἱ λόγοι αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ ἔλαιον, καὶ αὐτοί εἰσι βολίδες.