Psalms 55:21

His words are as smooth as butter, ¹  but he harbors animosity in his heart. ²  His words seem softer than oil, but they are really like sharp swords. ³ 

His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.

His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

His words are as smooth as cream, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!

All my life I've been charmed by his speech, never dreaming he'd turn on me. His words, which were music to my ears, turned to daggers in my heart.

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, but they were sharp swords.

with speech smoother than butter, but with a heart set on war; with words that were softer than oil, but in fact were drawn swords.

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

His words are as smooth as butter, ¹  but he harbors animosity in his heart. ²  His words seem softer than oil, but they are really like sharp swords. ³ 

¹ tn Heb “the butter-like [words] of his mouth are smooth.” The noun מַחְמָאֹת (makhma’ot, “butter-like [words]”) occurs only here. Many prefer to emend the form to מֵחֶמְאָה (mekhem’ah, from [i.e., “than”] butter”), cf. NEB, NRSV “smoother than butter.” However, in this case “his mouth” does not agree in number with the plural verb חָלְקוּ (kholqu, “they are smooth”). Therefore some further propose an emendation of פִּיו (piv, “his mouth”) to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”). In any case, the point seems to that the psalmist’s former friend spoke kindly to him and gave the outward indications of friendship.

² tn Heb “and war [is in] his heart.”

³ tn Heb “his words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.”