“For my mouth will utter truth”: “Mouth” is literally “palate,” the roof or top of the inside of the mouth. This is a rare use of “palate” to represent the mouth. It may also be seen in Job 31.30. “Utter” means to speak. “Truth” is normally taken to mean that which is consistent with fact or reality, what is real or genuine, and the opposite of “falsehood.” In the Old Testament “truth” is saying or doing that which conforms to God’s standards. It is understood here that “truth” means “only the truth” or “nothing but truth” (Revised English Bible), and this may need to be expressed in some languages.

“Wickedness is an abomination to my lips”: “Wickedness” in this context stands in contrast to “truth” in the first line and so refers to whatever is false. Good News Translation says “lies,” Bible en français courant “false speech.” For “abomination” see 3.32. We may translate this verse, for example, “Every word I speak is true; I hate every kind of lie.” Some versions (New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible) take the Hebrew connector that begins the second line as making that line the reason for the first line: “I will speak only the truth, because I hate lies.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .