17  ^uWhoever meddles in a quarrel not his own

is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

18  Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death

19  is the man who deceives his neighbor

and says, “I am only joking!”

20  For lack of wood the fire goes out,

and where there is no whisperer, ^vquarreling ceases.

21  As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22  ^wThe words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23  Like the glaze¹ covering an earthen vessel

are ^xfervent lips with an evil heart.

24  Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips

and harbors deceit in his heart;

25  when he speaks graciously, believe him not,

for there are ^yseven abominations in his heart;

26  though his ^zhatred be covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27  Whoever digs a pit will ^afall into it,

and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

28  A lying tongue hates its victims,

and a flattering mouth works ruin.