Proverbs 12:18
New International Version
The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

New Living Translation
Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.

English Standard Version
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Berean Standard Bible
Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

King James Bible
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

New King James Version
There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.

New American Standard Bible
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

NASB 1995
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

NASB 1977
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Legacy Standard Bible
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Amplified Bible
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Christian Standard Bible
There is one who speaks rashly, like a piercing sword; but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
There is one who speaks rashly, like a piercing sword; but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

American Standard Version
There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
There are those that speak a stabbing sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Some wound as they speak, like swords; but the tongues of the wise heal.

Contemporary English Version
Sharp words cut like a sword, but words of wisdom heal.

Douay-Rheims Bible
There is that promiseth, and is pricked as it were with a sword of conscience: but the tongue of the wise is health.

English Revised Version
There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Careless words stab like a sword, but the words of wise people bring healing.

Good News Translation
Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.

International Standard Version
Some speak rashly like the cutting of a sword, but what the wise say promotes healing.

JPS Tanakh 1917
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.

Literal Standard Version
A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword, | And the tongue of the wise is healing.

Majority Standard Bible
Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

New American Bible
The babble of some people is like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise is healing.

NET Bible
Speaking recklessly is like the thrusts of a sword, but the words of the wise bring healing.

New Revised Standard Version
Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

New Heart English Bible
There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

Webster's Bible Translation
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

World English Bible
There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

Young's Literal Translation
A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword, And the tongue of the wise is healing.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Loving Discipline and Knowledge
17He who speaks the truth declares what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit. 18 Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 19Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.…

Cross References
Psalm 57:4
My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts--with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.

Psalm 59:7
See what they spew from their mouths--sharp words from their lips: "For who can hear us?"

Proverbs 4:22
For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.

Proverbs 12:17
He who speaks the truth declares what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit.

Proverbs 15:4
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 25:18
Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.


Treasury of Scripture

There is that speaks like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

that

Proverbs 25:18
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

Psalm 52:2
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully.

Psalm 57:4
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

like

Revelation 1:16
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

but

Proverbs 10:20,21
The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth…

Proverbs 13:17
A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.

Proverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

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Proverbs 12
1. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge














(18) There is that speaketh.--Rather, that babbleth, like the piercing of a sword, that chatters on, not noticing or caring how he may wound the feelings of others by his inconsiderate remarks.

The tongue of the wise is health.--Or, healing; soothing the wounds made by the other's indiscriminate chatter.

Verse 18. - There is that speaketh. The word implies speaking thoughtlessly, rashly; hence we may render, "a babbler," "prater." Such a one inflicts wounds with his senseless tattle. Like the piercings of a sword. The point of the simile is seen when we remember that the edge of the sword is called its "mouth" in the Hebrew (Genesis 34:26; Exodus 17:13, etc.; comp. Psalm 59:7; Psalm 64:3). The Greek gnome says -

Ἀλλ οὐδὲν ἕρπει ψεῦδος εἰς γῆρας χρόνου

"A sword the body wounds, a word the soul." Vulgate, est qui promittit, which restricts the scope of the clause to the making of vain promises (Leviticus 5:4; Numbers 30:7-9), continuing, et quasi gladio pungitur conscientiae, "And is pierced as it were by the sword of his conscience." where "conscience" is added to make the meaning plain. Such a man suffers remorse if he breaks his promise, or if, like Jephthah, he keeps it. The tongue of the wise is health; it does not pierce and wound like that of the chatterer, rather it soothes and heals even when it reproves (Proverbs 4:22; Proverbs 10:11).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Speaking rashly
בּ֭וֹטֶה (bō·w·ṭeh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 981: To babble, to vociferate angrily

is like a piercing
כְּמַדְקְר֣וֹת (kə·maḏ·qə·rō·wṯ)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4094: A piercing, stab, thrust

sword,
חָ֑רֶב (ḥā·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

but the tongue
וּלְשׁ֖וֹן (ū·lə·šō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 3956: The tongue

of the wise
חֲכָמִ֣ים (ḥă·ḵā·mîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2450: Wise

brings healing.
מַרְפֵּֽא׃ (mar·pê)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4832: Curative, a medicine, a cure, deliverance, placidity


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 12:18 There is one who speaks rashly like (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 12:17
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