^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.