Translation commentary on Proverbs 4:24

“Put away from you crooked speech”: “Put away” is literally “cause to go away.” The question is whether the learner is being told to avoid others who have crooked speech or not to speak that way himself. Most popular language versions take it in the second sense. “Crooked speech” is literally “crookedness of mouth,” and this expression is also used in 6.12. The word translated “crooked” refers to anything that is falsely spoken, lies, or deception. In some languages the equivalent expression is “Do not speak with a double tongue” or “Don’t speak with two mouths.”

“And put devious talk far from you”: “Devious talk” is literally “perverse lips” and refers to any kind of speech that is misleading, untrue, or deviating from what is acceptable. This line repeats and broadens the sense of the first line, and so some translations combine the lines to say simply “Don’t ever use lies or any kind of bad talk.”

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 4:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 4:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “Stay away from words of lies, or words that diverts/destroys people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Don’t speak lies,
    Never let false, prohibited words come out of your mouth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “[You (sing.)] do- not -speak deceitfully or lie.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Do not tell-lies or speak-deceptively/bluff.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 4:24

4:24

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

24a
Put away deception from your mouth ;

24b
keep your lips from perverse speech.

4:24a–b

Put away…keep…from: In this context, these parallel phrases both mean to avoid using this kind of speech. In languages that cannot use a figurative expression such as “keep your lips from” in this context, it may be possible to add emphasis in other ways. For example, some English versions use the words “don’t ever” or “never.” Here is another way to translate this:

don’t ever say things that are not true (New Century Version)

deception…perverse speech: These two parallel phrases refer to all kinds of dishonest speech, including telling lies and testifying falsely in court.

mouth…lips: Both of these words are figures of speech (metonymy) that represent what is spoken by the mouth/lips. Because of this, many English versions do not mention mouth or lips directly, but use a natural expression that refers to speech. For example:

Put away from you crooked speech,

and put devious talk far from you. (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Never say anything that isn’t true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words. (Good News Translation)

However, if your language has a natural expression that uses the words “mouth” or “lips” or “tongue,” you are encouraged to use it. For example, the first line in the New Century Version has:

Don’t use your mouth to tell lies (New Century Version)

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