complete verse (Proverbs 20:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 20:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “A gossiper/slanderer scatters words,
    therefore, disassociate yourself from babbler/chatterbox.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “One who talks too much
    is not able to keep a confidence.
    So stay far away from those who talk too much.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The gossiper tells a secret, therefore stay-away from people who is like that.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “A habitual-gossip relates even what is secret, so do not (sing.) hang-around-with him.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Those who go around telling gossip are always telling secrets to others;
    so stay away from people who foolishly talk too much.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 20:19

This saying is a warning to avoid people who gossip or talk too much.

“He who goes about gossiping reveals secrets”: This is a straightforward observation about human behavior. It is almost identical to the first line of 11.13. See the comments there. The term rendered “gossiping” is almost always used in the bad sense of slander. Many languages will have a term like the noun “a gossip” in English for the person who makes a habit of spreading tales and rumors about others. “Secrets” has the sense of things that people plan or talk about in a private or intimate circle.

“Therefore do not associate with one who speaks foolishly”: “Do not associate” is advice about the wise course of action in light of the observation in the previous line. The Hebrew rendered “one who speaks foolishly” may be either “one who is foolish as to his lips” or “one who opens wide his lips.” Most, including New Revised Standard Version “a babbler,” take it in the second sense; New Jerusalem Bible, for instance, has “chatterers,” Good News Translation “people who talk too much.” Good News Translation is a good model to follow; but many languages have idiomatic expressions for people who talk too much that can be used very appropriately in this context. The negative “do not associate with” may be expressed in various other ways; for example, “avoid” (New International Version), “stay away from” (Good News Translation), and “have nothing to do with” (Revised English Bible).

In some languages this saying flows more naturally if the order of the two lines is reversed; one translation has, for example, “Don’t be friendly with a person who talks all around the place. If you tell secrets to this kind of person, he will tell them to everybody.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 20:19

20:19

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. The underlined parts refer to the same person.

19a
He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;

19b avoid the one who babbles with his lips.

The first line gives the reason for the advice in the second line. It is implied that the person who gossips may reveal the listener’s secrets to someone else.

20:19a

He who reveals secrets: This phrase refers to telling a secret or a conversation between friends that should not be shared with others.

a constant gossip: a constant gossip 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.

Some other ways to translate 20:19a are:

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets (English Standard Version)
-or-
A gossip can never keep a secret (Good News Translation)

This line is almost identical to 11:13a. See the notes there.

20:19b

avoid the one who babbles with his lips: This line advises the listener to not associate with a person who talks too much. The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as babbles with his lips is literally “opens his lips wide.” It refers to a person who speaks carelessly and thoughtlessly as well as someone who talks a lot. Some other ways to translate this line are:

therefore do not associate with a babbler (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Stay away from people who talk too much. (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 20:19a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine some of the parallel parts. It may also be more natural to put the advice before the reason. For example:

Do not be friends with a person who gossips and is always talking. A person like that will tell your secrets to others.

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