The wise lay up knowledge, and the mouth of a fool is near ruin.

The wealth of the rich is his strong city, The ruin of the poor is their poverty.

The way of Jehovah is strength to the perfect, And ruin to workers of iniquity.

The mouth of a fool is ruin to him, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

To do justice is joy to the righteous, But ruin to workers of iniquity.

Whoso is keeping his mouth, is keeping his soul, Whoso is opening wide his lips -- ruin to him!

In the multitude of a people is the honour of a king, And in lack of people the ruin of a prince.

For suddenly doth their calamity rise, And the ruin of them both -- who knoweth!