Translation commentary on Proverbs 11:13

This verse is a clear statement about two kinds of people.

“He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets”: “A talebearer”, which is literally “worker of slander,” means someone who goes about spreading gossip or bad reports about others. “Reveals secrets”, that is, makes public those things about people that for the good of the community need not be known. This can refer to such things as the private lives of people. The contrast is between the “talebearer” and the person in the second line who is “trustworthy”. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy tersely translates this line as “The gossiper tells everything.”

“But he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing hidden”: “Trustworthy in spirit” refers to a reliable or dependable person, someone we can trust or place full confidence in. “Keeps . . . hidden” means that this person keeps to himself or herself private information about other people for the good of the life of the community. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates this line as “The discreet person keeps a secret.”

Contemporary English Version renders the verse “A gossip tells everything, but a true friend will keep a secret.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

complete verse (Proverbs 11:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 11:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “A gossiper/slanderer is never trusted,
    but the one trusted is one who keeps/guards a word (secret).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “A gossip tends to tell
    even things that should not be told,
    [but] trusted people keep [such] matters confidential.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The gossiper tells secrets, but a trustworthy man can-keep secrets.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The trustworthy-one, he does not relate (something) which rightfully should not (lit. whose obligation is to not) be related, but the gossiper, he tells everything.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Those who spread gossip/tell bad things about others will tell your secrets to others,
    but if there is someone whom you can trust, you can trust him to not tell your secrets to others.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 11:13

11:13

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

13a
A gossip reveals a secret,

13b but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

11:13a

A gossip reveals a secret: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as gossip is literally “⌊one who⌋ goes about ⌊as⌋ a slanderer.” This term is probably used as an idiom for committing slander. A “slanderer” is someone who deliberately intends to harm someone or cause trouble by what he says. So you should use a term in your language that indicates slander or malicious gossip, not just idle talk.

reveals a secret: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “uncovers an intimacy” (see 3:32b, where the Berean Standard Bible translates “intimacy” as “is a friend”). In this context, “intimacy” refers to a secret or a conversation between friends that should not be shared with others.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

The one who goes about slandering others reveals secrets (NET Bible)
-or-
Gossips can’t keep secrets (New Century Version)
-or-
No one who gossips can be trusted with a secret (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 11:13a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder these two parallel lines. For example:

13b You can rely on a trustworthy person to keep a secret,

13a but a person who slanders others goes around making everything known.

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