Abstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins; for a passionate man will kindle strife; And a man that is a sinner will trouble friends, and will make debate among them that be at peace. As is the fuel of the fire, so will it burn; and as the stoutness of the strife is, so will it burn: as is the strength of the man, so will be his wrath; and as is his wealth, so will he exalt his anger. A contention begun in haste kindleth a fire; and a hasty fighting sheddeth blood. If thou blow a spark, it shall burn; and if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these shall come out of thy mouth. * * * * * Curse the whisperer and double-tongued: for he hath destroyed many that were at peace. A third person’s tongue hath shaken many, and dispersed them from nation to nation; and it hath pulled down strong cities, and overthrown the houses of great men. A third person’s tongue hath cast out brave women, and deprived them of their labours. He that hearkeneth unto it shall not find rest, nor shall he dwell quietly. The stroke of a whip maketh a mark in the flesh; but the stroke of a tongue will break bones. Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: yet not so many as they that have fallen because of the tongue. Happy is he that is sheltered from it, that hath not passed through the wrath thereof; that hath not drawn its yoke, and hath not been bound with its bands. For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands of brass. The death thereof is an evil death; and Hades were better than it. It shall not have rule over godly men; and they shall not be burned in its flame. They that forsake the Lord shall fall into it; and it shall burn among them, and shall not be quenched; it shall be sent forth upon them as a lion; and as a leopard it shall destroy them. Look that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns; bind up thy silver and thy gold; And make a balance and a weight for thy words; and make a door and a bar for thy mouth. Take heed lest thou slip therein; lest thou fall before one that lieth in wait. * * * * * =29= He that sheweth mercy will lend unto his neighbour; and he that strengtheneth him with his hand keepeth the commandments. Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need; and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season. Confirm thy word, and keep faith with him; and at all seasons thou shalt find what thou needest. Many have reckoned a loan as a windfall, and have given trouble to those that helped them. Till he hath received, he will kiss a man’s hands; and for his neighbour’s money he will speak submissly: and when payment is due, he will prolong the time, and return words of heaviness, and complain of the times.