Proverbs 18:8
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
American King James Version (AKJV)
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
American Standard Version (ASV)
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, and go down into the inner parts of the stomach.
Webster's Revision
The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
World English Bible
The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person's innermost parts.
English Revised Version (ERV)
The words of a whisperer are as dainty, morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Clarke's Proverbs 18:8 Bible Commentary
The words of a tale-bearer - דברי נרגן dibrey nirgan, "the words of the whisperer," the busy-body, the busy, meddling croaker. Verba bilinguis, "the words of the double-tongued." - Vulgate. The wordes of the twisel tunge - Old MS. Bible. "The words of a slanderer." - Coverdale.
The words of a deceiver, the fair-spoken, deeply-malicious man, though they appear soft and gracious, are wounds deeply injurious.
The original word is כמתלהמים kemithlahamim; they are as soft or simple, or undesigning. But Schultens gives another meaning. He observes that lahamah in Arabic signifies to "swallow down quickly or greedily." Such words are like dainties, eagerly swallowed, because inviting to the taste; like gingerbread, apparently gilded over, though with Dutch leaf, which is a preparation of copper; or sweetmeats powdered over with red candied seeds, which are thus formed by red lead; both deeply ruinous to the tender bowels of the poor little innocents, but, because of their sweetness and inviting color, greedily swallowed down. This makes a good reading, and agrees with the latter clause of the verse, "they go down into the innermost parts of the belly."
Barnes's Proverbs 18:8 Bible Commentary
Wounds - The word so rendered occurs here and in Proverbs 26:22 only. Others render it "dainties," and take the verse to describe the avidity with which people swallow in tales of scandal. They find their way to the innermost recesses of man's nature.
Wesley's Proverbs 18:8 Bible Commentary
18:8 They go - They wound mortally.