PRO 26

Proverbs 26:19

WEB

is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”

BSB

so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

KJV

So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

Matthew Henry

Verses 18–19

Proverbs 26:18–19

See here, 1. How mischievous those are that make no scruple of deceiving their neighbours; they are as madmen that cast firebrands, arrows, and death, so much hurt may they do by their deceits. They value themselves upon it as polite cunning men, but really they are as madmen. There is not a greater madness in the world than a wilful sin. It is not only the passionate furious man, but the malicious deceitful man, that is a madman; he does in effect cast fire-brands, arrows, and death; he does more mischief than he can imagine. Fraud and falsehood burn like fire-brands, kill, even at a distance, like arrows. 2. See how frivolous the excuse is which men commonly make for the mischief they do, that they did it in a jest; with this they think to turn it off when they are reproved for it, Am not I in sport? But it will prove dangerous playing with fire and jesting with edge-tools. Not that those are to be commended who are captious, and can take no jest (those that themselves are wise must suffer fools, Co2 11:19, Co2 11:20), but those are certainly to be condemned who are any way abusive to their neighbours, impose upon their credulity, cheat them in their bargains with them, tell lies to them or tell lies of them, give them ill language, or sully their reputation, and then think to excuse it by saying that they did but jest. Am not I in sport? He that sins in just must repent in earnest, or his sin will be his ruin. Truth is too valuable a thing to be sold for a jest, and so is the reputation of our neighbour. By lying and slandering in jest men learn themselves, and teach others, to lie and slander in earnest; and a false report, raised in mirth, may be spread in malice; besides, if a man may tell a lie to make himself merry, why not to make himself rich, and so truth quite perishes, and men teach their tongues to tell lies, Jer 9:5. If men would consider that a lie comes from the devil, and brings to hell-fire, surely that would spoil the sport of it; it is casting arrows and death to themselves.

Cross-references: 2Cor 11:19 · 2Cor 11:20 · Jer 9:5

Hebrew interlinear

H3651

כֵּןkên/kane/

adv — set upright, just, rightly, so

Derivation: from 3559;

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner, time and relation; often with other particles)

KJV: after that (this, -ward, -wards), as... as, (for-) asmuch as yet, be (for which) cause, following, howbeit, in (the) like (manner, -wise), × the more, right, (even) so, state, straightway, such (thing), surely, there (where) -fore, this, thus, true, well, × you.

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

כֵּן

adj — right

כֵּן adj. right, veritable, honest

1. right

2. veritable, true

3. pl. concr. honest (men)

כֵּן

adv — so

כֵּן adv. so

H376

אִישׁʼîysh/eesh/

n-m — man

Derivation: contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant);

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), none, one, people, person, steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare 802.

אִישׁ

n.m — man

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

H7411

רָמָהrâmâh/raw-maw'/

v — hurl, shoot, delude, betray

Derivation: a primitive root;

to hurl; specifically, to shoot; figuratively, to delude or betray (as if causing to fall)

KJV: beguile, betray, (bow-) man, carry, deceive, throw.

רָמָה

vb — beguile

[רָמָה] vb. Pi. beguile, deal treacherously with

רָמָה

vb — cast

רָמָה vb. cast, shoot

H853

אֵתʼêth/ayth/

prt — self, even, namely

Derivation: apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity;

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

KJV: [as such unrepresented in English].

אֵת

mark of the accusative

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

H7453

רֵעַrêaʻ/ray'-ah/

n-m — associate

Derivation: or רֵיעַ; from 7462;

an associate (more or less close)

KJV: brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, × (an-) other.

רֵעַ

n.m — friend

רֵעַ 187 n.m. friend, companion, fellow

H559

אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/

v — say

Derivation: a primitive root;

to say (used with great latitude)

KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.

אָמַר

vb — utter

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

1. Say

2. Say in the heart (= think)

3. Promise

4. Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

H3808

לֹאlôʼ/lo/

adv — not, no

Derivation: or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle;

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

KJV: × before, or else, ere, except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, surely, as truly as, of a truth, verily, for want, whether, without.

לֹא

adv — not

לֹא or לוֹא adv. not

H7832

שָׂחַקsâchaq/saw-khak'/

v — laugh, play

Derivation: a primitive root;

to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication, to play

KJV: deride, have in derision, laugh, make merry, mock(-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in (make) sport.

שָׂחַק

vb — laugh

שָׂחַק vb. laugh

Qal

1.

a. laugh at

b. appar. of friendly laugh

2. sport, play

Pi.

1. make sport

2. jest

3. play

Hiph. (declar.) they uttered mockery

H589

אֲנִיʼănîy/an-ee'/

p — I

Derivation: contracted from 595;

I

KJV: I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, × which, × who.

אֲנִי

pron — I

אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I

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