⁷ “If you ·correct [instruct; discipline] ·someone who makes fun of wisdom [a mocker], you will be insulted.
    If you correct an evil person, you will ·get hurt [^Lbe blemished].
⁸ Do not correct ·those who make fun of wisdom [mockers], or they will hate you.
    But correct the wise, and they will love you.
⁹ ·Teach [^LGive to] the wise, and they will become even wiser;
    ·teach [inform] ·good people [the righteous], and they will ·learn even more [^Ladd to their learning].

¹⁰ A wink may ·get you into [or cause] trouble,
and foolish talk will lead to your ruin.

¹¹ The ·words [^Lmouth] of a ·good [righteous] person ·give life, like a fountain of water [^Lis a fountain of life],
but the ·words [^Lmouth] of the wicked ·contain nothing but [conceals] violence.

¹³ ·Wise people speak with understanding [^LWisdom is found on understanding lips],
but ·people without wisdom should be punished [^La rod is for the backs of those who lack sense/heart].

¹⁴ The wise ·don’t tell [store up; treasure] everything they know,
but the ·foolish talk too much and are ruined [^Lmouth of a fool means imminent ruin].

¹³ Gossips ·can’t keep [^Lgo/walk around revealing] secrets,
but a trustworthy person ·can [keeps a confidence; ^Lcovers up a word].

¹³ Evil people are trapped by their ·evil [offensive] talk,
but ·good [righteous] people ·stay out of trouble [escape from distress].

¹⁴ People will be rewarded for ·what they say [^Lthe fruit of their mouth],
and they will also be rewarded for ·what they do [^Lthe work of their hands].

¹⁶ Fools quickly show that they are upset,
but the ·wise [prudent] ·ignore [conceal; hide] ·insults [contempt].

¹⁷ An honest witness tells the truth,
but a dishonest witness tells lies.

¹⁸ ·Careless [Chattering] words stab like a sword,
but ·wise words bring [^La wise tongue brings] healing.

¹⁹ ·Truth [^LTruthful lips] will continue forever,
but ·lies are [^La lying tongue lasts] only for a moment.

²² The Lord ·hates [detests] ·those who tell lies [false lips]
but ·is pleased with [favors] those who ·keep their promises [do what is true].

²³ ·Wise [Prudent] people ·keep what they know to themselves [^Lconceal/hide their knowledge],
but ·fools can’t keep from showing how foolish they are [^Lthe heart of fools proclaim their stupidity].

²⁵ ·Worry [Anxiety] ·is a heavy load [leads to depression],
but a ·kind [good] word cheers you up.

² People will ·be rewarded for what they say [^Leat well from the fruit of their mouth],
but ·those who can’t be trusted [the faithless] ·want only [^Lhave an appetite for] violence.

³ Those who ·are careful about what they say [^Lwatch/guard their mouth] protect their lives,
but whoever ·speaks without thinking [^Lspreads their lips wide] will be ruined.

³ ·Fools will be punished for their proud words [The talk of fools is a rod for their back; or In the mouth of fools is a sprig of pride],
but the ·words [^Llips] of the wise will protect them.