Proverbes 25:9

Darby's French Translation

Plaide ta cause avec ton prochain, et ne révèle pas le secret d'autrui,

Parallel Translations

La Bible David Martin (1744)
Traite tellement ton diff�rend avec ton prochain, que tu ne r�v�les point le secret d'un autre;

La Bible Ostervald (1996)
Plaide ta cause contre ton prochain; mais ne r�v�le point le secret d'un autre;

Louis Segond (1910)
D�fends ta cause contre ton prochain, Mais ne r�v�le pas le secret d'un autre,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

with: Matthew 18:5-17

a secret to another: or, the secret of another, Proverbs 11:13, Proverbs 20:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:22 - told Genesis 21:25 - reproved Joshua 22:13 - Phinehas Judges 11:12 - sent messengers 2 Samuel 13:22 - spake Proverbs 3:30 - General Matthew 5:24 - there Matthew 18:15 - go Luke 12:58 - thou goest

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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" b; 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.

b סוד אחר "secretum alterius", Pagninus, Montanus; "arcanum alterius", Tigurine version, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Michaelis, Schultens, so Cocceius, Gejerus "arcanum aliud", Munster; "alienum", Syriac version.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

An anticipation of the highest standard of ethical refinement Matthew 18:15, but with a difference. Here the motive is prudential, the risk of shame, the fear of the irretrievable infamy of the betrayer of secrets. In the teaching of Christ the precept rests upon the divine authority and the perfect example.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 25:9. Debate thy cause with thy neighbour — 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 skilful 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!