28 Those who are vengeful
will suffer the Lord’s vengeance,
    because the Lord keeps strict count
    of their sins.
² Forgive your neighbor a wrong,
    and then, when you pray,
    your sins will be forgiven.
³ Can people hold on to their anger
against others, and then look for healing from the Lord?
⁴     Can they refuse to have mercy
    on people like themselves,
    and then pray about their own sins?
⁵     If they, who are just flesh,
    hold on to anger,
    who will secure pardon
    for their own sins?
⁶ Be mindful of the end that awaits you,
and put an end to enmity;
    be mindful of decay and death,
    and be faithful to the commandments.
⁷ Be mindful of the commandments,
and don’t be irate at your neighbor;
    be mindful of the covenant of the
    Most High, and overlook a mistake.

⁸ Keep away from conflict,
and you will reduce your sins;
    for hot-tempered people spark conflict.
⁹ Sinful people will stir up trouble for friends,
    and they spread slander
    among people who are at peace.
¹⁰ A fire burns in proportion to its fuel,
    and conflict increases
    the longer it continues.
The more powerful individuals are,
the stronger their anger will be;
    and the wealthier they are,
    the more their wrath will increase.
¹¹ A hasty quarrel sparks a fire,
    and hasty conflict sheds blood.

¹² If you blow on a spark, it will flame up,
    and if you spit on it, it will go out;
    nonetheless, both come out
    of your mouth.

¹³ A curse on slanderers and the deceitful,^[a]
    because they have destroyed many
    who are at peace.
¹⁴ Slander^[b] has shaken up many people,
    scattered them from nation to nation,
    demolished mighty cities,
    and overthrown the houses
    of dignitaries.
¹⁵ Slander^[c] has driven out
courageous women,
    and it has deprived them
    of the rewards of their work.
¹⁶ Those who pay attention to slander
will never find rest,
    nor will they live in peace.
¹⁷ The blow of a whip leaves a welt,
    but the blow of the tongue
    will break bones.
¹⁸ Many have fallen by the edge
of the sword,
    but many more have fallen
    because of the tongue.
¹⁹ Happy is the person
who is protected from the tongue,
    who hasn’t endured its anger,
    who hasn’t pulled its yoke
    or been bound by its shackles.
²⁰ Its yoke is made of iron,
    and its shackles are made of bronze.
²¹ The death it inflicts is a wicked death,
    and the grave^[d] is preferable to it.
²² It will never conquer the godly,
    and they won’t be burned by its flame.
²³ Those who abandon the Lord will
fall to it;
    it will burn within them,
    and it will never go out.
    It will be sent against them like a lion,
    and like a leopard it will mangle them.
^24 aWatch out! Fence in your property
with thorns,
^{25     b}and make a door
    and a bolt for your mouth.
^24 b Lock up your silver and gold;
^{25     a}make a balance and a weight
    for your words.^[e]
26 Pay attention, and don’t slip
by your tongue;
    don’t fall in front of those
    who are just waiting to attack you.