You must not go about spreading slander among your people; you must not jeopardize your neighbor’s life; I am Yahweh.
Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.
As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man 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 abominations 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 man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
The beginning of the words of 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. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But 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 must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,