SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:3
El que no revolvió con su lengua, ni hizo mal a su prójimo, ni levantó vergķ¼enza contra su prójimo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Psalms 14:3
Verse 3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue ] wnl l[ lgr al lo ragal al leshono, "he foots not upon his tongue." 4. He is one who treats his neighbour with respect. He says nothing that might injure him in his character, person, or property; he forgets no calumny, he is author of no slander, he insinuates nothing by which his neighbour may be injured. The tongue, because of its slanderous conversation, is represented in the nervous original as kicking about the character of an absent person; a very common vice, and as destructive as it is common: but the man who expects to see God abhors it, and backbites not with his tongue. The words backbite and backbiter come from the Anglo-Saxon bac, the back, and [A.S.], to bite. How it came to be used in the sense it has in our language, seems at first view unaccountable; but it was intended to convey the treble sense of knavishness, cowardice, and brutality. He is a knave, who would rob you of your good name; he is a coward, that would speak of you in your absence what he dared not to do in your presence; and only an ill-conditioned dog would fly at and bite your back when your face was turned. All these three ideas are included in the term; and they all meet in the detractor and calumniator. His tongue is the tongue of a knave, a coward, and a dog. Such a person, of course, has no right to the privileges of the Church militant, and none of his disposition can ever see God. Nor doeth evil to his neighbour ] 5. He not only avoids evil speaking, but he avoids also evil acting towards his neighbour. He speaks no evil of him; he does no evil to him; he does him no harm; he occasions him no wrong.
On the contrary, he gives him his due. See under the second particular.
Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. ] 6. The word hprj cherpah, which we here translate a reproach, comes from Prj charaph, to strip, or make bare, to deprive one of his garments; hence Prj choreph, the winter, because it strips the fields of their clothing, and the trees of their foliage. By this, nature appears to be dishonoured and disgraced. The application is easy: a man, for instance, of a good character is reported to have done something wrong: the tale is spread, and the slanderers and backbiters carry it about; and thus the man is stripped of his fair character, of his clothing of righteousness, truth, and honesty. All may be false; or the man, in an hour of the power of darkness, may have been tempted and overcoxne; may have been wounded in the cloudy and dark day, and deeply mourns his fall before God. Who that has not the heart of a devil would not strive rather to cover than make bare the fault? Those who feed, as the proverb says, like the flies, passing over all a man's whole parts to light upon his wounds, will take up the tale, and carry it about. Such, in the course of their diabolic work, carry the story of scandal to the righteous man; to him who loves his God and his neighbour. But what reception has the tale-bearer? The good man taketh it not up; an al lo nasa, he will not bear it; it shall not be propagated from him. He cannot prevent the detractor from laying it down; but it is in his power not to take it up: and thus the progress of the slander may be arrested. He taketh not up a reproach against his neighbour; and the tale-bearer is probably discouraged from carrying it to another door. Reader, drive the slanderer of your neighbour far away from you: ever remembering that in the law of God, as well as in the law of the land, "the receiver is as bad as the thief."
Matthew Henry Commentary
The way to heaven, if we would be happy, we must be holy. We ar encouraged to walk in that way.
--Here is a very serious question concerning the character of a citize of Zion. It is the happiness of glorified saints, that they dwell in the holy hill; they are at home there, they shall be for ever there. I concerns us to make it sure to ourselves that we have a place amon them. A very plain and particular answer is here given. Those wh desire to know their duty, will find the Scripture a very faithfu director, and conscience a faithful monitor. A citizen of Zion i sincere in his religion. He is really what he professes to be, an endeavours to stand complete in all the will of God. He is just both to God and man; and, in speaking to both, speaks the truth in his heart He scorns and abhors wrong and fraud; he cannot reckon that a goo bargain, nor a saving one, which is made with a lie; and knows that he who wrongs his neighbour will prove, in the end, to have most injure himself. He is very careful to do hurt to no man. He speaks evil of n man, makes not others' faults the matter of his common talk; he make the best of every body, and the worst of nobody. If an ill-nature story be told him, he will disprove it if he can; if not, it goes n further. He values men by their virtue and piety. Wicked people ar vile people, worthless, and good for nothing; so the word signifies. He thinks the worse of no man's piety for his poverty and mean condition He reckons that serious piety puts honour upon a man, more than wealth or a great name. He honours such, desires their conversation and a interest in their prayers, is glad to show them respect, or do them kindness. By this we may judge of ourselves in some measure. Even wis and good men may swear to their own hurt: but see how strong the obligation is, a man must rather suffer loss to himself and his family than wrong his neighbour. He will not increase his estate by extortion or by bribery. He will not, for any gain, or hope of it to himself, d any thing to hurt a righteous cause. Every true living member of the church, like the church itself, is built upon a Rock. He that doet these things shall not be moved for ever. The grace of God shall alway be sufficient for him. The union of these tempers and this conduct, can only spring from repentance for sin, faith in the Saviour, and love to him. In these respects let us examine and prove our own selves __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
לא 3808 רגל 7270 על 5921 לשׁנו 3956 לא 3808 עשׂה 6213 לרעהו 7453 רעה 7451 וחרפה 2781 לא 3808 נשׂא 5375 על 5921 קרבו׃ 7138
