12:18 Speaking recklessly 1 is like the thrusts of a sword,
but the words 2 of the wise bring 3 healing. 4
16:28 A perverse person 5 spreads dissension,
and a gossip separates the closest friends. 6
26:20 Where there is no wood, a fire goes out,
and where there is no gossip, 7 contention ceases. 8
26:21 Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
so is a contentious person 9 to kindle strife. 10
26:22 The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels;
they go down into a person’s innermost being. 11
52:2 Your tongue carries out your destructive plans; 14
it is as effective as a sharp razor, O deceiver. 15
64:3 They 16 sharpen their tongues like a sword;
they aim their arrow, a slanderous charge, 17
64:4 in order to shoot down the innocent 18 in secluded places.
They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation. 19
1 tn The term בּוֹטֶה (boteh) means “to speak rashly [or, thoughtlessly]” (e.g., Lev 5:4; Num 30:7).
2 tn Heb “the tongue” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV). The term לָשׁוֹן (lashon, “tongue”) functions as a metonymy of cause for what is said.
3 tn The term “brings” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
4 sn Healing is a metonymy of effect. Healing words are the opposite of the cutting, irresponsible words. What the wise say is faithful and true, gentle and kind, uplifting and encouraging; so their words bring healing.
5 tn Heb “a man of perverse things”; NAB “an intriguer.” This refers to someone who destroys lives. The parallelism suggests that he is a “slanderer” or “gossip” – one who whispers and murmurs (18:8; 26:20, 22).
6 tn The term אַלּוּף (’aluf) refers to a “friend” or “an intimate associate.” The word has other possible translations, including “tame” or “docile” when used of animals. Rashi, a Jewish scholar who lived
7 sn Gossip (that is, the one who goes around whispering and slandering) fuels contention just as wood fuels a fire. The point of the proverb is to prevent contention – if one takes away the cause, contention will cease (e.g., 18:8).
8 tn Heb “becomes silent.”
9 sn Heb “a man of contentions”; NCV, NRSV, NLT “a quarrelsome person.” The expression focuses on the person who is contentious by nature. His quarreling is like piling fuel on a fire that would otherwise go out. This kind of person not only starts strife, but keeps it going.
10 tn The Pilpel infinitive construct לְחַרְחַר (lÿkharkhar) from חָרַר (kharar, “to be hot; to be scorched; to burn”) means “to kindle; to cause to flare up.”
11 tn The proverb is essentially the same as 18:8; it observes how appealing gossip is.
12 tn The term רָכִיל (rakhil) is traditionally rendered “slanderer” here (so NASB, NIV, NRSV; see also J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 304, 316), but the exact meaning is uncertain (see the discussion in B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 129). It is sometimes related to I רָכַל (“to go about as a trader [or “merchant”]”; BDB 940 s.v. רָכַל), and taken to refer to cutthroat business dealings, but there may be a II רָכַל, the meaning of which is dubious (HALOT 1237 s.v. II *רכל). Some would render it “to go about as a spy.”
13 tn Heb “You shall not stand on the blood of your neighbor.” This part of the verse is also difficult to interpret. The rendering here suggests that one will not allow a neighbor to be victimized, whether in court (cf. v. 15) or in any other situation (see the discussion in B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 129).
14 tn Heb “destruction your tongue devises.”
15 tn Heb “like a sharpened razor, doer of deceit.” The masculine participle עָשָׂה (’asah) is understood as a substantival vocative, addressed to the powerful man.
16 tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
17 tn Heb “a bitter word.”
18 tn The psalmist uses the singular because he is referring to himself here as representative of a larger group.
19 tn Heb “and are unafraid.” The words “of retaliation” are supplied in the translation for clarification.