Do not go about spreading slander among your people; do not jeopardize your neighbor’s life; I am the Lord.
Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.
As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being.
Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel.
A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within.
When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart.
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly.
The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone — it will come back on him.
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
The beginning of the words from his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness;
yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?
Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters. Anyone who defames or judges a fellow believer defames and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,