17 A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his

is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.

18 Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,ae

19 so is the person who deceives his neighbor

and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood, fire goes out;

without a gossip, conflict dies down.af

21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.ag

22 A gossip’s words are like choice food

that goes down to one’s innermost being.A,a

23 SmoothB lips with an evil heart

are like glaze on an earthen vessel.b