When you pray do not go on babbling endlessly as the pagans do, for they believe that they are more likely to be heard because of their many words. | And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. |
Pleasing words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and affording health to the body. | Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. |
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Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name; proclaim his deeds among the peoples. | Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. |
So shall my word be that issues forth from my mouth. It will not return to me unfulfilled, but it will accomplish my purpose and achieve what I sent it forth to do. | So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. |
Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart find favor in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. | May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. |
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only delights in expressing his own opinions. | Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. |
Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. | Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. |
With his mouth the godless man seeks to ruin his neighbor, but knowledge enables the righteous to be delivered. | With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape. |
The lips of a fool cause strife, and his mouth provokes a flogging. | The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. |
Diligent labor always yields profit, but idle conversation only leads to poverty. | All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. |
Anxiety in the human heart weighs it down, but a kind word makes it glad. | Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. |
If in speaking I use human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. | If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. |
Then keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. | Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. |
The lips of the righteous utter words of kindness, but the mouth of the wicked knows only how to pervert. | The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. |
And whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. | And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. |
If anyone thinks that he is religious but does not restrain his tongue, he is deceiving himself, and his religion is worthless. | Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. |
It is honorable to avoid strife, but every fool is quarrelsome. | It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. |
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. |
A word is not even on my tongue and you, O Lord, are completely aware of it. | Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. |
Lying lips conceal hatred, and anyone who slanders another is a fool. | Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool. |
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 tongue of the just man is like pure silver; the heart of the wicked is without worth. | The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. |
The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all their host by the breath of his mouth. | By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. |
Speak out and pronounce righteous judgments; defend the rights of the wretched and the poor. | Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. |
As long as I remained silent, my body wasted away as the result of my groaning throughout the day. | When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. |