Teks -- Proverbs 18:8 (NET)

18:8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the person’s innermost being.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Pro 18:8 - They go

They wound mortally.

JFB: Pro 18:8

(Compare Pro 16:28).

JFB: Pro 18:8 - as wounds

Not sustained by the Hebrew; better, as "sweet morsels," which men gladly swallow.

JFB: Pro 18:8 - innermost . . . belly

The mind, or heart (compare Pro 20:27-30; Psa 22:14).

Clarke: Pro 18:8 - The words of a tale-bearer

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."

TSK: Pro 18:8 - words // talebearer // as wounds // innermost parts

words : Pro 12:18, Pro 16:28, Pro 26:20-22; Lev 19:16; Psa 52:2, Psa 64:3, Psa 64:4

talebearer : or, whisperer

as wounds : or, like as when men are wounded

innermost parts : Heb. chambers

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Pro 18:8 - The words of a tale-bearer // are as wounds // as smooth or flattering // They go down into the innermost parts of the belly

The words of a tale-bearer who privily slandereth his neighbour,

are as wounds deeply wound the reputation, and afterwards the heart, of the slandered person. Compare Pro 12:18 . Or, as others render the word, are

as smooth or flattering i.e. they really are so; the particle as being oft used to express the truth of the thing, as hath been noted before. See also Joh 1:14 . They are softer than oil, as is said, Psa 55:21 . For slanderers use to cover and usher in their calumnies with pretences or kindness and compassion to them whom they traduce.

They go down into the innermost parts of the belly they wound mortally, piercing to the heart, which is oft meant by the belly; as Job 15:35 32:19 , &c.

Haydock: Pro 18:8 - Tongued // Fear

Tongued. Hebrew, "caluminator." He pretends to wish well to those of whom he speaks, or else to guard the company against deceit. (Calmet) ---

"If the devil be upon the detractor's tongue, he is in the ears of those who pay attention to him." (St. Francis de Sales) ---

Fear, &c., is in the Septuagint, above. The Vulgate retains both this and the new version of St. Jerome.

Gill: Pro 18:8 - The words of a talebearer are as wounds // and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly

The words of a talebearer are as wounds,.... Or rather they are wounds; they wound the credit and reputation of the person of whom the tale is told; they wound the person to whom it is told, and destroy his love and affection to his friend; and in the issue they wound, hurt, and ruin the talebearer himself. Or, they are "as of those that are wounded" ^m; they pretend to be affected with the case they tell, and to be grieved for the failings and infirmities of those they are secretly exposing, when at the same time they rejoice at them: or, they are "secret" hidden ones, as Aben Ezra interprets it; they are spoken secretly, and wound secretly, in a backbiting way: or, they are "smooth" or flattering ⁿ, as Kimchi; they are smoother than oil, and glide easily into the minds of others: rather, "are greedily swallowed down" ^o, as the word in the Arabic language signifies; as Schultens has shown, and so renders it. Hence it follows:

and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly; go down pleasantly, and sink deep into the hearts of those to whom they are told; where they have a place and remain, both to the injury of the persons that receive them, and of them of whom they are told; and, though pleasing at first, they are as wounds in the inner parts, which are mortal.