Proverbs

¹⁷He who, passing by, stops to meddle with strife that is none of his business is like one who takes a dog by the ears. ¹⁸Like a madman who casts firebrands, arrows, and death, ¹⁹So is the man who deceives his neighbor and then says, Was I not joking? [Eph. 5:4.] ²⁰For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention ceases. ²¹As coals are to hot embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man to inflame strife. [Prov. 15:18; 29:22.] ²²The words of a whisperer or slanderer are like dainty morsels or words of sport [to some, but to others are like deadly wounds]; and they go down into the innermost parts of the body [or of the victim's nature]. ²³Burning lips [uttering insincere words of love] and a wicked heart are like an earthen vessel covered with the scum thrown off from molten silver [making it appear to be solid silver].