Proverbs 25:9
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Debate your cause with your neighbor himself; and discover not a secret to another:
American King James Version (AKJV)
Debate your cause with your neighbor himself; and discover not a secret to another:
American Standard Version (ASV)
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself , And disclose not the secret of another;
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:
Webster's Revision
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and reveal not a secret to another:
World English Bible
Debate your case with your neighbor, and don't betray the confidence of another;
English Revised Version (ERV)
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself, and disclose not the secret of another:
Clarke's Proverbs 25:9 Bible Commentary
Debate thy cause with thy neighbor - Take the advice of friends. Let both sides attend to their counsels; but do not tell the secret of thy business to any. After squandering your money away upon lawyers, both they and the judge will at last leave it to be settled by twelve of your fellow citizens! O the folly of going to law! O the blindness of men, and the rapacity of unprincipled lawyers!
On this subject I cannot but give the following extract from Sir John Hawkins's Life of Dr. Johnson, which he quotes from Mr. Selwin, of London: "A man who deliberates about going to law should have,
1. A good cause;
2. A good purse;
3. A good skillful attorney;
4. Good evidence;
5. Good able counsel;
6. A good upright judge;
7. A good intelligent jury; and with all these on his side, if he have not,
8. Good luck, it is odds but he miscarries in his suit." O the glorious uncertainty of the law!
Barnes's Proverbs 25:9 Bible Commentary
An anticipation of the highest standard of ethical refinement Matthew 18:15, but with a difference. Here the motive is prudential, the risk of shame, the fear of the irretrievable infamy of the betrayer of secrets. In the teaching of Christ the precept rests upon the divine authority and the perfect example.
Wesley's Proverbs 25:9 Bible Commentary
25:9 Debate - If thou hast any quarrel with him, first try to compose it by private discourse with him. Discover not - Let not heat of contention provoke thee to divulge any of his secrets committed to thy trust.