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

²⁸ A ·useless [perverse] person causes ·trouble [conflicts],
and a gossip ruins close friendships.

⁹ ·Whoever forgives someone’s sin makes a friend [^LOne who seeks love conceals an offense],
but ·gossiping about the sin [repeating a thing] breaks up friendships.

⁸ The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food.
·People like to gobble them up [^LThey go down to one’s inmost parts].

¹⁹ Gossips ·can’t keep [reveal] secrets,
so avoid people who ·talk too much [^Lare foolish with their lips].

²⁰ Without wood, a fire ·will go out [is extinguished],
and without gossip, ·quarreling will stop [conflict calms down].

²² The words of a gossip are like ·tasty bits of food [choice morsels];
·people like to gobble them up [^Lthey go down to the inmost parts].