Proverbs 19:9
New International Version
A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.

New Living Translation
A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.

English Standard Version
A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.

Berean Standard Bible
A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who pours out lies will perish.

King James Bible
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

New King James Version
A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish.

New American Standard Bible
A false witness will not go unpunished, And one who declares lies will perish.

NASB 1995
A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will perish.

NASB 1977
A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will perish.

Legacy Standard Bible
A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who breathes out lies will perish.

Amplified Bible
A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who breathes lies will perish.

Christian Standard Bible
A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies perishes.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies perishes.

American Standard Version
A false witness shall not be unpunished; And he that uttereth lies shall perish.

Contemporary English Version
Dishonest witnesses and liars will be destroyed.

English Revised Version
A false witness shall not be unpunished; and he that uttereth lies shall perish.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A lying witness will not go unpunished. One who tells lies will die.

Good News Translation
No one who tells lies in court can escape punishment; he is doomed.

International Standard Version
A witness to lies will not go unpunished; the teller of falsehoods will perish.

Majority Standard Bible
A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who pours out lies will perish.

NET Bible
A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will perish.

New Heart English Bible
A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.

Webster's Bible Translation
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

World English Bible
A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
A false witness is not acquitted, "" And whoever breathes out lies perishes.

Young's Literal Translation
A false witness is not acquitted, And whoso breatheth out lies perisheth.

Smith's Literal Translation
A witness of falsehoods shall not be unpunished, and he breathing out lies shall perish.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
A false witness shall not be unpunished: and he that speaketh lies, shall perish.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A false witness shall not go unpunished. And whoever speaks lies will perish.

New American Bible
The false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever utters lies will perish.

New Revised Standard Version
A false witness will not go unpunished, and the liar will perish.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
A false witness shall not be unpunished; and he who speaks lies shall perish.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
A false witness will not be spared, and he that speaks lies will be destroyed.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
A false witness shall not be unpunished; And he that breatheth forth lies shall perish.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A false witness shall not be unpunished; and whosoever shall kindle mischief shall perish by it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Man of Integrity
8He who acquires wisdom loves himself; one who safeguards understanding will find success. 9A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who pours out lies will perish. 10Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!…

Cross References
Exodus 20:16
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Deuteronomy 19:16-19
If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime, / both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time. / The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother, ...

Psalm 101:7
No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who tells lies shall stand in my presence.

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, / a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ...

Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.

Proverbs 14:5
An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness pours forth lies.

Proverbs 21:28
A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.

Proverbs 24:28
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

Isaiah 59:3-4
For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice. / No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case honestly. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.

Jeremiah 9:3-6
“They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD. / “Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander. / Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they wear themselves out committing iniquity. ...

Matthew 12:36-37
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. / For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 15:18-20
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. / For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. / These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”

Mark 7:21-23
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, / greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. / All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Acts 5:3-4
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? / Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”


Treasury of Scripture

A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall perish.

FALSE

Proverbs 19:5
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

and

Isaiah 9:15-17
The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail…

Jeremiah 23:25-32
I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed…

Jeremiah 28:15-17
Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie…

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Acquitted Breather Breatheth Cut Deceit Forth Held Innocent Lies Perish Perisheth Pours Punishment Speaketh Tells Unpunished Uttereth Utters Witness
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Proverbs 19
1. Life and Conduct














A false witness
The phrase "a false witness" refers to someone who deliberately lies or provides misleading testimony, especially in a legal context. In Hebrew, the word for "false" is "שָׁקֶר" (sheqer), which conveys deceit and untruth. The term "witness" is "עֵד" (ed), indicating someone who bears testimony. In ancient Israel, the integrity of witnesses was crucial for justice, as legal systems heavily relied on oral testimonies. The ninth commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16), underscores the importance of truthfulness. A false witness disrupts justice and societal harmony, which God values deeply.

will not go unpunished
This phrase emphasizes the certainty of divine justice. The Hebrew root for "punished" is "נָקָה" (naqah), meaning to be acquitted or left unpunished. The negative construction here assures that falsehood will inevitably lead to consequences. In the biblical context, God is portrayed as a just judge who ensures that wrongdoing is addressed. This assurance serves as both a warning to those who might consider deceit and a comfort to those who suffer from it, affirming that God sees all and will act in His time.

and one who pours out lies
The imagery of "pouring out lies" suggests an abundance and intentionality in deceit. The Hebrew verb "יַפִּיחַ" (yaphiakh) conveys the idea of breathing out or emitting, indicating that lies flow naturally from this person. This phrase highlights the habitual nature of lying, contrasting with a single false testimony. In biblical literature, the tongue is often depicted as a powerful tool for both good and evil (James 3:5-6). The repeated emphasis on truthfulness in Proverbs reflects the high value placed on integrity and the destructive power of deceit.

will perish
The term "perish" comes from the Hebrew "אָבַד" (avad), meaning to be lost, destroyed, or to vanish. This word carries a sense of finality and totality. In the biblical worldview, perishing is not merely physical death but can also imply spiritual ruin or separation from God. The fate of those who persist in deceit is contrasted with the life and prosperity promised to the righteous. This serves as a sobering reminder of the ultimate consequences of living contrary to God's truth and righteousness.

Verse 9. - A repetition of ver. 5, except that shall perish is substituted for "shall not escape." Septuagint, "And whosoever shall kindle mischief shall perish by it." The Greek translators have rendered the special reference in the original to slanderers and liars by a general term, and introduced the notion of Divine retribution, which is not definitely expressed in the Hebrew.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A false
שְׁ֭קָרִים (qā·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8267: Deception, disappointment, falsehood

witness
עֵ֣ד (‘êḏ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5707: A witness, testimony, a recorder, prince

will not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

go unpunished,
יִנָּקֶ֑ה (yin·nā·qeh)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5352: To be, clean, to be bare, extirpated

and one who pours out
וְיָפִ֖יחַ (wə·yā·p̄î·aḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6315: To puff, blow with the breath, air, to fan, to utter, to kindle, to scoff

lies
כְּזָבִ֣ים (kə·zā·ḇîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3577: A lie, falsehood, deceptive thing

will perish.
יֹאבֵֽד׃ (yō·ḇêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 19:9 A false witness shall not be unpunished (Prov. Pro Pr)
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