If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants {are} wicked.

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: {take...: Heb. give not thine heart}

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if {they be} the children of men, cursed {be} they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. {accept: Heb. smell} {abiding: Heb. cleaving}

Thou shalt not go up and down {as} a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I {am} the LORD.

And the tongue {is} a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. {course: Gr. wheel}

A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. {soweth: Heb. sendeth forth}

The words of a talebearer {are} as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. {talebearer: or, whisperer} {as wounds: or, like as when men are wounded} {most...: Heb. chambers}

When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

Where no wood is, {there} the fire goeth out: so where {there is} no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. {Where no...: Heb. Without wood} {talebearer: or, whisperer} {ceaseth: Heb. is silent}

Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; {and} a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

A lying tongue hateth {those that are} afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

The north wind driveth away rain: so {doth} an angry countenance a backbiting tongue. {driveth...: or, bringeth forth rain: so doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance}

And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil {is} in mine hand?

SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

The bands of the wicked have robbed me: {but} I have not forgotten thy law. {bands: or, companies}

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge {things} that I knew not. {False...: Heb. Witnesses of wrong} {they...: Heb. they asked me}

They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward {thought} of every one {of them}, and the heart, {is} deep. {they...: or, we are consumed by that which they have throughly searched} {a diligent...: Heb. a search searched}

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. {Accuse...: Heb. Hurt not with thy tongue}

For I have heard the slander of many: fear {was} on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.

I {am for} peace: but when I speak, they {are} for war. {for peace: or, a man of peace}

A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. {soweth: Heb. sendeth forth}

O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?

And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what {is} mine iniquity? and what {is} my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?