He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
Parallel translations
- KJV He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
- BSB He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.
- NKJV He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
- NASB One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with a gossip.
- NLT A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A gossip betrays confidences, so avoid the company of a chatterer. It matters as a warning to guard against and shun slanderous talk.
Overview
The tale-bearer cannot keep secrets and spreads harm through loose speech (Proverbs 11:13; 26:20). Wisdom counsels keeping distance from such people to avoid being drawn into their sin and harmed by it. The proverb upholds trustworthiness and discretion as marks of godly character.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Prov 11:13One who brings gossip betrays a confidence, but one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.
- Prov 13:3He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
- Prov 18:8The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.
- Rom 16:18For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
- Lev 19:16“‘You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people. “‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Yahweh.
- Prov 24:21My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious:
- Prov 26:20–22For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
- Prov 16:29A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 20:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.