Sprueche 25:9

9 Führe deine Sache mit deinem Nächsten, und offenbare nicht eines andern Heimlichkeit,

Sprueche 25:9 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 25:9

Debate thy cause with thy neighbour [himself]
Between thee and him alone; lay the matter before him, and hear what he has to say for himself, by which you will better judge of the nature of the cause; try to compromise things, and make up the difference between you, which is much better than to commence a lawsuit; at least such a step should be taken first; see ( Matthew 5:25 ) ; and discover not a secret to another;
if the thing in controversy is a secret, do not acquaint another person with it; keep it among yourselves, if the affair can be made up without bringing it into a court of judicature; besides, by communicating it to others, you may have bad counsel given, and be led to take indirect methods: or, "the secret of another", or, "another secret do not discover" ^F2; if you know anything scandalous and reproachful of your neighbour and his family, you are contending with, which does not concern the cause in hand, do not divulge it, as persons from a spirit of revenge are apt to do, when they are quarrelling or litigating a point with each other.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (rxa dwo) "secretum alterius", Pagninus, Montanus; "arcanum alterius", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Michaelis, Schultens, so Cocceius, Gejerus; "arcanum aliud", Munster; "alienum", Syriac version.

Sprueche 25:9 In-Context

7 Denn es ist dir besser, daß man zu dir sage: Tritt hier herauf! als daß du vor dem Fürsten erniedrigt wirst, daß es deine Augen sehen müssen.

8 Fahre nicht bald heraus, zu zanken; denn was willst du hernach machen, wenn dich dein Nächster beschämt hat?

9 Führe deine Sache mit deinem Nächsten, und offenbare nicht eines andern Heimlichkeit,

10 auf daß nicht übel von dir spreche, der es hört, und dein böses Gerücht nimmer ablasse.

11 Ein Wort geredet zu seiner Zeit, ist wie goldene Äpfel auf silbernen Schalen.