28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
Focused Passage
Proverbs 24:28-29
Wisdom Builds the House: Justice, Courage, Diligence, Enemies, and the Future of the Righteous
The chapter moves from warnings against envying the wicked, to wisdom as constructive strength, to courageous rescue, to future hope, to restraint toward enemies, to public justice and honest speech, and finally to ordered labor and the severe warning of the sluggard's ruined field.
Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources
Study Helps
References and Original Words
Verse 28
Cross-references
Original words
Do not אַל־ H408 Adverb testify תְּהִ֣י H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular . . . עֵד־ H5707 Noun - masculine singular against your neighbor בְּרֵעֶ֑ךָ H7453 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular without cause חִנָּ֣ם H2600 Adverb and do not deceive וַ֝הֲפִתִּ֗יתָ H6601 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular with your lips בִּשְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ H8193 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 29
Cross-references
Original words
Do not אַל־ H408 Adverb say תֹּאמַ֗ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular I will do עָֽשָׂה־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to him לִ֭י Preposition | first person common singular . . . כֵּ֤ן H3651 Adverb as כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative he has done אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to me לּ֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular I will repay אָשִׁ֖יב H7725 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular the man לָאִ֣ישׁ H376 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular according to his work כְּפָעֳלֽוֹ׃ H6467 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular