Proverbs 20:19
New International Version
A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.

New Living Translation
A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.

English Standard Version
Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.

Berean Standard Bible
He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.

King James Bible
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

New King James Version
He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.

New American Standard Bible
One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with a gossip.

NASB 1995
He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.

NASB 1977
He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.

Legacy Standard Bible
He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with one of loose lips.

Amplified Bible
He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with a gossip [who talks freely or flatters].

Christian Standard Bible
The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth.

American Standard Version
He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He that reveals a secret is a slanderer, and he that is faithful in his spirit hides a matter; and do not associate with one whose lips are hasty.

Contemporary English Version
Stay away from gossips--they tell everything.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.

English Revised Version
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Whoever goes around as a gossip tells secrets. Do not associate with a person whose mouth is always open.

Good News Translation
A gossip can never keep a secret. Stay away from people who talk too much.

International Standard Version
Whoever spreads gossip betrays confidences; so don't get involved with someone who talks too much.

JPS Tanakh 1917
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; Therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.

Literal Standard Version
The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, | And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.

Majority Standard Bible
He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.

New American Bible
A slanderer reveals secrets; so have nothing to do with a babbler!

NET Bible
The one who goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with someone who is always opening his mouth.

New Revised Standard Version
A gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a babbler.

New Heart English Bible
He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore do not keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

World English Bible
He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

Young's Literal Translation
A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver with his lips make not thyself surety.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wine is a Mocker
18Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance. 19He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips. 20Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.…

Cross References
Leviticus 19:16
You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD.

Proverbs 11:13
A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

Proverbs 13:3
He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.


Treasury of Scripture

He that goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flatters with his lips.

that goeth

Proverbs 11:13
A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Proverbs 18:8
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Proverbs 26:20-22
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth…

meddle

Proverbs 24:21
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

flattereth

Proverbs 16:29
A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

Romans 16:18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Jump to Previous
Associate Avoid Betrays Business Busybody Company Confidence Counsels Deceiver Flattereth Foolishly Gives Goes Gossip Lips Meddle Open Openeth Opens Others Revealer Revealeth Reveals Secret Secrets Slanderer Speaks Talebearer Tale-Bearer Talebearing Talking Talks Wide
Jump to Next
Associate Avoid Betrays Business Busybody Company Confidence Counsels Deceiver Flattereth Foolishly Gives Goes Gossip Lips Meddle Open Openeth Opens Others Revealer Revealeth Reveals Secret Secrets Slanderer Speaks Talebearer Tale-Bearer Talebearing Talking Talks Wide
Proverbs 20
1. Proper Living














(19) Flattereth with his lips.--Rather, is open with his lips, cannot keep them shut.

Verse 19. - He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets. Almost the same proverb occurs in Proverbs 11:13, The gadding gossiper is sure to let out any secret entrusted to him; therefore, it is implied, be careful in what you say to him. Meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips; rather, that openeth wide his lips - that cannot keep his mouth shut, a babbler, as Proverbs 13:3 (where see note). The Vulgate erroneously makes one sentence of the verse, "With him who reveals secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips, have no dealings." Talmud, "When I utter a word, it hath dominion over me; but when I utter it not, I have dominion over it." Says the Persian poet, "The silent man hath his shoulders covered with the garment of security." Xenocrates used to say that he sometimes was "sorry for having spoken, never for having kept silence" (Cahen).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He who reveals
גּֽוֹלֶה־ (gō·w·leh-)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1540: To denude, to exile, to reveal

secrets
סּ֭וֹד (sō·wḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5475: A session, company of persons, intimacy, consultation, a secret

is a constant
הוֹלֵ֣ךְ (hō·w·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

gossip;
רָכִ֑יל (rā·ḵîl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7400: A scandal-monger

avoid
תִתְעָרָֽב׃ (ṯiṯ·‘ā·rāḇ)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6148: To braid, intermix, technically, to traffic, give to be security

the one who babbles
וּלְפֹתֶ֥ה (ū·lə·p̄ō·ṯeh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6601: To open, be, roomy, to be, simple, delude

with his lips.
שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו (p̄ā·ṯāw)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 20:19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 20:18
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