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Saif Khan
What's the meaning of "He that touches pitch shall be defiled"??
I have never heard this proverb before..Is it used now-a-days?or it is outdated?
And what's the meaning of "pitch" here? I know what "defile" means..
Jun 22, 2020 4:59 PM
Answers · 2
Hello!
The biblical meaning of "pitch" is asphalt or bitumen in its soft state, called "slime", found in pits near the Dead Sea. It was used for various purposes, as the coating of the outside of vessels and in building and construction.
"He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled." This comes from the Apocrypha and is a warning against mixing with the rich. 'As the wild ass is the lion's prey in the wilderness, the rich eat up the poor. ' In general, it is a warning against wickedness.
I hope that helps!
June 22, 2020
I'd say it's outdated. I've never heard it before, but I understand the meaning. It's a line from one of the Apocrypha (a set of Biblical texts).
"Pitch" here refers to a sticky, black or brown substance. It's kind of like thick syrup when it's hot, but is hard when it's cold. It's for waterproofing. Sometimes it gets used in place of "tar" or "asphalt".
So, you can't touch pitch without getting your hands dirty. You can't spend time with wicked people without becoming wicked.
Hope that helps!
June 22, 2020
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Saif Khan
Language Skills
Bengali, English
Learning Language
English
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