The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds
Or rather they are wounds; they wound the credit and reputation
of the person of whom the tale is told; they wound the person to
whom it is told, and destroy his love and affection to his
friend; and in the issue they wound, hurt, and ruin the
talebearer himself. Or, they are "as of those that are wounded"
F13; they pretend to be affected with
the case they tell, and to be grieved for the failings and
infirmities of those they are secretly exposing, when at the same
time they rejoice at them: or, they are "secret" hidden ones, as
Aben Ezra interprets it; they are spoken secretly, and wound
secretly, in a backbiting way: or, they are "smooth" or
flattering F14, as Kimchi; they are smoother than
oil, and glide easily into the minds of others: rather, "are
greedily swallowed down" F15, as the word in the Arabic language
signifies; as Schultens has shown, and so renders it. Hence it
follows: and they go down into the innermost parts of the
belly;
go down pleasantly, and sink deep into the hearts of those to
whom they are told; where they have a place and remain, both to
the injury of the persons that receive them, and of them of whom
they are told; and, though pleasing at first, they are as wounds
in the inner parts, which are mortal.