^21 (A)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.

²¹ As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
    so is ^(A)a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

¹⁸ A man who ^(A)bears false witness against his neighbor
    is like a war club, or ^(B)a sword, or a sharp arrow.

^27 (A)A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech^[a] is like ^(B)a scorching fire.

⁶ The words of the wicked ^(A)lie in wait for blood,
    but ^(B)the mouth of the upright delivers them.

⁹ With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
    but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

¹⁴ The wise ^(A)lay up knowledge,
    but ^(B)the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

^11 (A)The mouth of the righteous is ^(B)a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked ^(C)conceals violence.

²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,
    but fools die for ^(A)lack of sense.

^18 (A)There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings ^(B)healing.