| Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a ruler. | Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler! |
| Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. | Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. |
|
| The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. | To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. |
| Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. | Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. |
| May my teaching drop like the rain, my speech condense like the dew; like gentle rain on grass, like showers on new growth. | Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. |
| The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. | 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. |
| Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in 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. |
| Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. | 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. |
| When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but the prudent are restrained in speech. | Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. |
| For “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them 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.” |
| For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. | 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. |
| Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. | 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 the rights of all the destitute. | Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. |
