Posted on 12/26/2022 12:26:49 AM PST by Pilgrim's Progress
“The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 26:22).
Anybody that's ever been gossiped about by people you care about knows exactly how bad that hurts. The new versions make a travesty, if not a joke, of some of these verses. For instance, Proverbs 26:22. Is there anything in Proverbs 26:22 that should be clarified that's not clear? The new versions say this.
I'll start with the blessed N.I.V., “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels, they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” It almost makes the gossip and the morsels sound like a good thing.
Here's the New King James, “The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,” whatever that is? “they go down into the inmost body.”
Now I don't know how you read that; but that does nothing but obscure what the Bible says, because the Bible says in verse 22, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.” The idea in this verse is they hurt! It mentions that again, and by the way, they messed this one up too; but Proverbs 18:8, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Have you ever noticed how hard it is sometimes to receive negative information about someone in your family? It can be painful!
You know, if somebody has to come to you and say something like, “I need to tell you something that your kid did . . .”, and your stomach starts to turn over a little. It might turn out to be nothing, but the very fact you are about to get some potentially bad news goes right to your gut. It can be pretty painful! There is something about receiving information that way that is hard.
So, when you get ready to pass on information you should be aware that you're playing in a playground where people can get hurt really bad even if it's something that has to be done. Sometimes it has to be done, and you would be wrong not to do it. This is an area where tact is very much needed.
Be very, very careful with talebearing, especially if it's not necessary. If something is going on, and you have to tell somebody who's responsible; then it has to happen, but be aware that if you ever get into talebearing as a hobby you're playing in a very hurtful arena.
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth . . . The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 26:20, 22).
Verse 22 tells how much hurt comes from the talebearing
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