Proverbs 10:1–32 (NIV84)

¹ The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother. ² Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death. ³ The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. ⁴ Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. ⁵ He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. ⁶ Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. ⁷ The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. ⁸ The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin. ⁹ The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. ¹⁰ He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin. ¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. ¹² Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. ¹³ Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment. ¹⁴ Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin. ¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor. ¹⁶ The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment. ¹⁷ He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. ¹⁸ He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. ¹⁹ When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. ²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. ²¹ The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment. ²² The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. ²³ A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom. ²⁴ What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted. ²⁵ When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. ²⁶ As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him. ²⁷ The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. ²⁸ The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. ²⁹ The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil. ³⁰ The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land. ³¹ The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out. ³² The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

James 3:1–18 (NIV84)

¹ Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ² We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. ³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. ⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸ but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. ¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.