John Gill Commentary Proverbs 24:28

"Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; And deceive not with thy lips." — Proverbs 24:28 (ASV)

Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause Unless forced to it, except there is some urgent reason for it; not upon any trivial account, or in any frivolous matter; never appear forward and eager to bear witness against him, and, whenever obliged to it, do not be a false witness, but speak truth, whether your neighbor be a friend or a foe; and do not deceive with your lips ; by bearing a false testimony, the judge, your neighbor and yourself; for though men may be deceived, God cannot: or, should you do so, "you would break" and cut him to pieces "with your lips" ^F24 ; which is the sense of the words according to R. Judah, as Ben Melech relates.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F24: (Kytpvb tytyphw) "et ne atteras labiis tuis", Vatablus; "et ne comminuas eum labiis tuis", Syriac version.