Proverbs 25 · Verse 9

Proverbs 25:9

Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:

Proverbs 25:9, King James Version

Proverbs 25:9 in other translations

BSB	Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence,
WEB	Debate your case with your neighbor, and don’t betray the confidence of another,
ASV	Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself, And disclose not the secret of another;
YLT	Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
DARBY	Debate thy cause with thy neighbour, but reveal not the secret of another;
BBE	Have a talk with your neighbour himself about your cause, but do not give away the secret of another:
Webster	Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and reveal not a secret to another:

What does Proverbs 25:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 25:9-10

9-10. (Compare Mt 5:25, Margin). secret--that is, of your opponent, for his disadvantage, and so you be disgraced, not having discussed your difficulties with him.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 9 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!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 25:8-10

To be hasty in beginning strife, will bring into difficulties. War must at length end, and might better be prevented. It is so in private quarrels; do all thou canst to settle the matter.

Read the full comment on Proverbs 25:8-10 →

Proverbs 25:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רִֽ֭יבְךָRi.ve.khaown case yourH7379

רִ֣יבrivconductH7378

אֶת\־'et-withH854

רֵעֶ֑ךָre.'E.khaneighbor yourH7453

וְס֖וֹדve.Sodand [the] secret ofH5475

אַחֵ֣ר'a.Cheranother [person]H312

אַל\־'al-may notH408

תְּגָֽל\׃te.Galyou revealH1540

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 25:9

Matthew 18:5-17
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. …
Proverbs 11:13
A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
Proverbs 20:19
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

with.
Mt 18:5-17
a secret to another. or, the secret of another.
11:13; 20:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Proverbs 25:8
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
Proverbs 25:9
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
Proverbs 25:10
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

Read all of Proverbs 25

Proverbs 25:9 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Trata tu causa con tu compañero y no descubras el secreto á otro.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Plaide ta cause avec ton prochain, et ne révèle pas le secret d’autrui,
German Elberfelder 1871	Führe deinen Streithandel mit deinem Nächsten, aber enthülle nicht das Geheimnis eines anderen;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Causam tuam tracta cum amico tuo, et secretum extraneo ne reveles: