A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
Parallel translations
- WEB A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.
- KJV He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
- NKJV He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself;
- NASB One who hates disguises it with his lips, But he harbors deceit in his heart.
- NLT People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.
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 hateful person disguises his enmity with his words while harboring evil within. Pleasant speech can conceal a treacherous heart.
Overview
This begins a portrait (vv. 24-26) of the deceiver whose lips mask deep-seated malice. The proverb warns that words can be a costume hiding true intentions. It calls for discernment and points to the One who searches hearts and brings hidden things to light (Luke 12:2).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Prov 12:20Deceit is in the hearts of those who devise evil, but the counselors of peace have joy.
- Prov 10:18The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
- Ps 41:6My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.
- Prov 12:5The plans of the righteous are just, but the counsel of the wicked leads to deceit.
- Prov 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.
- Prov 12:17He who speaks the truth declares what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit.
- Prov 11:1Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 26:24 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
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