Proverbs 18:8

18:8 The words of a gossip ¹  are like choice morsels; ² 

they go down into the person’s innermost being. ³ 

Proverbs 24:31

24:31 I saw ⁴  that thorns had grown up all over it,

the ground ⁵  was covered with weeds,

and its stone wall was broken down.

Proverbs 26:22

26:22 The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels;

they go down into a person’s innermost being. ⁶ 

[18:8]  ¹ tn Or “slanderer”; KJV, NAB “talebearer”; ASV, NRSV “whisperer.”

[18:8]  ² tn The word כְּמִתְלַהֲמִים (kÿmitlahamim) occurs only here. It is related to a cognate verb meaning “to swallow greedily.” Earlier English versions took it from a Hebrew root הָלַם (halam, see the word לְמַהֲלֻמוֹת [lÿmahalumot] in v. 6) meaning “wounds” (so KJV). But the translation of “choice morsels” fits the idea of gossip better.

[18:8]  ³ tn Heb “they go down [into] the innermost parts of the belly”; NASB “of the body.”

[24:31]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew term וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, traditionally “and, lo” [KJV, ASV]) is a deictic particle that calls attention to what comes next. “And look” is too abrupt here; “I saw” calls attention to the field that was noticed.

[24:31]  ⁵ tn Heb “its face” (so KJV, ASV).

[26:22]  ⁷ tn The proverb is essentially the same as 18:8; it observes how appealing gossip is.