Proverbs 26:24

24 Those who hate you may try to fool you with their words, but in their minds they are planning evil.

Proverbs 26:24 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 26:24

He that hateth dissembleth with his lips
He that bears a grudge in his mind, and retains hatred in his heart against any person, hides it all he can, till he has an opportunity of showing it as he would; he pretends a great deal of friendship with his lips, that his hatred might not be known; he would be thought to be a friend, when he is really an enemy; he does not choose as yet to make himself known what he is. Some render it to a sense the reverse, "the enemy", or "he that hateth, is known by his lips" F12; so the Targum, Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions: if you carefully watch him, mark his words, and observe what he says, you will find out the hatred that lies in his heart; he cannot forbear saying something, at one time or another, which betrays the malignity of his mind; and layeth up deceit within him;
or, "though F13 he layeth up" hides it as much as he can, yet it will show itself in some way or another.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 (rkny) "agnoscetur", Montanus, Vatablus; "cognoscetur", Tigurine version; "cognoscitur", Amama, so Luther.
F13 (w) "quamvis", Luther. apud Gejerus, Baynus.

Proverbs 26:24 In-Context

22 The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food; people like to gobble them up.
23 Kind words from a wicked mind are like a shiny coating on a clay pot.
24 Those who hate you may try to fool you with their words, but in their minds they are planning evil.
25 People's words may be kind, but don't believe them, because their minds are full of evil thoughts.
26 Lies can hide hate, but the evil will be plain to everyone.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.