⁶The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth. ⁷The mouth of a fool is ruin to him, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

⁸The words of a tale-bearer are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart.

⁹He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he is to a destroyer.

¹⁰A tower of strength is the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.

¹¹The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour is humility.

¹³Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.

¹⁴The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?

¹⁵The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

¹⁶The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.

¹⁷Righteous is the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.

¹⁸The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.

¹⁹A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.

²⁰From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, From the increase of his lips he is satisfied.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

²²Whoso hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

²³With supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.

²⁴A man with friends is to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!

Chapter 19

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