Ps 139 v12: On the virtue of silence

 Verse 12 of Psalm 139 is part of a recapitulation of the characteristics of the unjust person that will lead to their destruction if they do not repent:

• their heart and mind is concerned with plotting evil, not pondering the good (v 3, 9);
• they speak far too much, and what they say is poisonous (v 4, 12) and 
• their actions are not good works, but rather aimed at bringing down others (v 5-7, 13).

12	V	Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.
	OR	vir linguosus non dirigetur super terram virum iniustum mala capient in interitum
	NV	Vir linguosus non firmabitur in terra, virum violentiae mala capient in interitu.
	Pian	Vir linguae malae non durabit in terra; Virum violentum repente capient mala.
	JH	uir linguosus non dirigetur in terra : uirum iniquum mala capient in interitum.
	Sept	ἀνὴρ γλωσσώδης οὐ κατευθυνθήσεται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἄνδρα ἄδικον κακὰ θηρεύσει εἰς διαφθοράν

[key: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

Looking at the Latin

 The Vulgate and Douay-Rheims translations are arranged phrase by phrase below:

Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.

A man full of tongue  shall not be established in the earth: the unjust man evil shall catch unto destruction.

 The key vocabulary for the verse is as follows:

 vir, viri, m., a man

linguosus a um talkative, loquacious, garrulous, evil tongued, slanderer, blasphemer

dirigo, rexi, rectum, ere 3 to direct, guide, set aright;  to prosper, to be established.

injustus a um – unjust, godless, wicked

malus, a, um, adj., bad, evil, wicked; grievous, sore, severe; subst., malum, i, n., evil, sin; woe, harm, misfortune

capio ere cepi capturm 3 to take possession of, obtain; hunt after; seize, take captive

in+abl = with, in, on among, by means of

interitus, us, m. destruction

Word by word:

 Vir (the man) linguósus (talkative, foul mouthed) non (not) dirigétur (he will be established/prosper) in terra (on the earth): virum (the man) injústum (unjust) mala (evil) cápient (they shall catch/hunt/take hold of) in (into) intéritu (destruction).

 A selection of English translations follows below: 

DR	A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
Brenton	A talkative man shall not prosper on the earth: evils shall hunt the unrighteous man to destruction.
MD	Let not the evil-mouthed be established in the land, misfortune shall bring down the unjust to destruction.
RSV	Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
Cover	A man full of words shall not prosper upon the earth; evil shall hunt the wicked person to overthrow him.
Knox	Not long the blasphemer’s time on earth: misfortune will overtake the oppressor unawares.
Grail	Let the slanderer not endure upon the earth. Let evil hunt the violent man to death!

[Abbreviations: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

Against trolls

The word linguosus (literally full of words, talkative) can sometimes have a positive connotation, meaning eloquent, here the sense is clearly negative, meaning garrulous or worse, a sense reflected in the various English translations of it as slanderer or blasphemer.  It describes those so full of themselves that saying something - anything - is more important than its content, or worse, those who speak to spread lies, slander; to detract, flatter, fight for the sake of fighting, scold or blaspheme. In the modern day context, one could readily apply it to internet trolls, but it is clearly an ancient phenomenon -  St Augustine, for example, commented:

A man full of words loves lies. For what pleasure has he, save in speaking? He cares not what he speaks, so long as he speaks. It cannot be that he will be guided. 

The proper approach, St Augustine suggested, is to be more keen to listen than to speak:

What then ought the servant of God to do, who is kindled with these coals, and himself made a coal of salvation, what should he do? He should wish rather to hear than to speak; as it is written, Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak (James 1:19). And if it may be so, let him desire this, not to be obliged to speak and talk and teach....

Consistent with this interpretation, St Benedict cited this verse in his discussion of the ninth degree of humility (in chapter 7 of his Rule), saying:

The ninth degree of humility is that a monk restrain his tongue and keep silence, not speaking until he is questioned.  For the Scripture shows that "in much speaking there is no escape from sin" (Prov. 10:19) and that "the talkative man is not stable on the earth" (Ps. 139:12).

Karma awaits?

The verse goes on to highlight the fate of those who persistent in this path, namely destruction, if not in this life, in the next.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm of David.
1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.	Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.	4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.	5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.	And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.	8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.	10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.	11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.	12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.	13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.	14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.

You can find notes on the next verse of the psalm here.