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18 Telling lies about others
    is as harmful as hitting them with an ax,
wounding them with a sword,
    or shooting them with a sharp arrow.

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18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
    is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.(A)

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I am surrounded by fierce lions
    who greedily devour human prey—
whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,
    and whose tongues cut like swords.

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I am in the midst of lions;(A)
    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.(B)

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18 Some people make cutting remarks,
    but the words of the wise bring healing.

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18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,(A)
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(B)

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And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:6 Or for it will burn in hell (Greek Gehenna).

The tongue also is a fire,(A) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,(B) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.(C)

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    For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows.
They speak friendly words to their neighbors
    while scheming in their heart to kill them.

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Their tongue(A) is a deadly arrow;
    it speaks deceitfully.
With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors,(B)
    but in their hearts they set traps(C) for them.(D)

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Judgment for Disobedience

“My people bend their tongues like bows
    to shoot out lies.
They refuse to stand up for the truth.
    They only go from bad to worse.
They do not know me,”
    says the Lord.

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“They make ready their tongue
    like a bow, to shoot lies;(A)
it is not by truth
    that they triumph[a] in the land.
They go from one sin to another;
    they do not acknowledge(B) me,”
declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 9:3 Or lies; / they are not valiant for truth

28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;
    don’t lie about them.

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28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause(A)
    would you use your lips to mislead?

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Their tongues sting like a snake;
    the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude

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They make their tongues as sharp as(A) a serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers(B) is on their lips.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 140:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 8.

O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you?
    How will he increase your punishment?
You will be pierced with sharp arrows
    and burned with glowing coals.

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What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,(A)
    with burning coals of the broom bush.

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All day long you plot destruction.
    Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
    you’re an expert at telling lies.

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You who practice deceit,(A)
    your tongue plots destruction;(B)
    it is like a sharpened razor.(C)

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21 His words are as smooth as butter,
    but in his heart is war.
His words are as soothing as lotion,
    but underneath are daggers!

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21 His talk is smooth as butter,(A)
    yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,(B)
    yet they are drawn swords.(C)

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