<p class="poetry">Leave the presence of a foolish person,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">or<n id="2" /> you will not understand<n id="3" /> wise counsel.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The lips of the wise spread<n id="1" /> knowledge,p> <p class="poetry">but not so the heart of fools.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">The divine verdict<n id="1" /> is in the words<n id="2" /> of the king,p> <p class="poetry">his pronouncements<n id="3" /> must not act treacherously<n id="4" /> against justice.p>

<p class="poetry">The delight of kings<n id="1" /> is righteous counsel,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and they love the one who speaks<n id="3" /> uprightly.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The lips of a fool<n id="1" /> enter into strife,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and his mouth invites<n id="3" /> a flogging.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">There is gold, and an abundance of rubies,p> <p class="poetry">but<n id="1" /> words of knowledge<n id="2" /> are like<n id="3" /> a precious jewel.p>

<p class="poetry">May the <sc>Lordsc> cut off<n id="1" /> all flattering lips,p> <p class="poetry">and the tongue that boasts!<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">A prayer of David.p> <p class="poetry"><sc>Lordsc>, consider my just cause!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Pay attention to my cry for help!p> <p class="poetry">Listen to the prayerp> <p class="poetry">I sincerely offer!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">May lying lips be silenced &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">lips<n id="1" /> that speak defiantly against the innocent<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">with arrogance and contempt!p>

<p class="poetry">I have told the great assembly<n id="1" /> about your justice.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Look! I spare no words!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc>, you know this is true.p>

<p class="poetry">May your mouth<n id="1" /> be like the best wine,p> <p class="poetry">flowing smoothly for my beloved,p> <p class="poetry">gliding gently over our lips as we sleep together.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">their troubles multiply,p> <p class="poetry">they desire other gods.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will not pour out drink offerings of blood to their gods,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">nor will I make vows in the name of their gods.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">But I have not pestered you to bring disaster.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I have not desired the time of irreparable devastation.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You know that.p> <p class="poetry">You are fully aware of every word that I have spoken.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I listened and my stomach churned;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the sound made my lips quiver.p> <p class="poetry">My frame went limp, as if my bones were decaying,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and I shook as I tried to walk.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I long<n id="4" /> for the day of distressp> <p class="poetry">to come upon<n id="5" /> the people who attack us.p>

For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him<n id="1" /> because he is the messenger of the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all.

Then<n id="1" /> one who appeared to be a human being<n id="2" /> was touching my lips. I opened my mouth and started to speak, saying to the one who was standing before me, &#8220;Sir,<n id="3" /> due to the vision, anxiety has gripped me and I have no strength.