| Fine words are not becoming to a fool, and much less are false words to a noble. | Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler! |
| The fear of the Lord implies hatred of evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and perverse speech. | To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. |
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| Dear children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. | Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. |
| Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of your opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious and seasoned with wisdom, so that you will know how to respond properly to all. | Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. |
| Let my teaching fall down like rain, and my words descend like the dew. Like rain upon the sprouts, and like showers upon the grass. | Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. |
| Turn away from the mouth that deceives and keep your distance from lips that mislead. | Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. |
| Let no one regard you with contempt because of your youth, but serve as an example to the believers in your speech and conduct, in your love, your faith, and your purity. | Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. |
| The heavens proclaim the glory of God; the firmament shows forth the work of his hands. One day imparts that message to the next, and night conveys that knowledge to night. | The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. |
| For all of us fall short in many ways. Anyone who never makes a mistake in speech has reached perfection and is able to control every part of his body. | We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. |
| For: “If anyone wishes to love life and to experience good days, he must restrain his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.” | For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.” |
| Where many words are spoken, sin is not absent, but whoever restrains his tongue is prudent. | Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. |
| Let no foul word ever pass your lips. Say only what is useful for edification, so that your words may benefit your listeners. | Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. |
| Speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves, and defend the rights of the destitute. | Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. |
