17 ⌊Like⌋ grabbing a dog by the ears,⌊so⌋ is a bystander who gets involved in someone else’s quarrel.
18 Like a madman who shoots flaming arrows, arrows, and death,
19 so is the person who tricks his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood a fire goes out,and without gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 ⌊As⌋ charcoal fuels burning coals and wood fuels fire,so a quarrelsome person fuels a dispute.
22 The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily,and they go down into a person’s innermost being.
23 ⌊Like⌋ a clay pot covered with cheap silver,⌊so⌋ is smooth talk that covers up an evil heart.