<p class="poetry">But if only God would speak,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">if only he would open his lips against you,<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">I have not departed from the commands of his lips;p> <p class="poetry">I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">When words abound, transgression is inevitable,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but the one who restrains<n id="2" /> his words<n id="3" /> is wise.p>

<p class="poetry">The one who guards his words<n id="1" /> guards his life,p> <p class="poetry">but<n id="2" /> whoever is talkative<n id="3" /> will come to ruin.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">A wise person&#8217;s heart<n id="1" /> makes his speech wise<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and it adds persuasiveness<n id="3" /> to his words.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">A wicked scoundrel<n id="1" /> digs up<n id="2" /> evil,p> <p class="poetry">and his slander<n id="3" /> is like a scorching fire.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The one who winks his eyes<n id="1" /> devises perverse things,p> <p class="poetry">and<n id="2" /> one who compresses his lips<n id="3" /> brings about<n id="4" /> evil.p>

<p class="poetry">Even a fool who remains silent is considered<n id="1" /> wise,p> <p class="poetry">and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">From the fruit of a person&#8217;s mouth<n id="1" /> his stomach is satisfied,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">with the product of his lips is he satisfied.p>

<p class="poetry">Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">than one who is perverse in his speech<n id="2" /> and is a fool.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">The one who goes about gossiping<n id="1" /> reveals secrets;p> <p class="poetry">therefore do not associate<n id="2" /> with someone who is always opening his mouth.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">The one who loves a pure heart<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and whose speech is gracious<n id="2" /> &#8211; the king will be his friend.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">You grant<n id="1" /> him his heart&#8217;s desire;p> <p class="poetry">you do not refuse his request.<n id="2" /> (Selah)p>

<p class="poetry">He will treat the poor fairly,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and make right decisions<n id="2" /> for the downtrodden of the earth.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and order the wicked to be executed.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Look, the name<n id="1" /> of the <sc>Lordsc> comes from a distant placep> <p class="poetry">in raging anger and awesome splendor.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He speaks angrilyp> <p class="poetry">and his word is like destructive fire.<n id="3" />p>