A gossip betrays a confidence,
but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets,
but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.

A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.

A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.

A gossip betrays a confidence;
so avoid anyone who talks too much.

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.

Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer quarreling ceases.

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.

Therefore prophesy and say, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: because they ravaged and crushed you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander,

therefore prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God: Precisely because they made you desolate and crushed you from all sides, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you became the talk and evil gossip of the people,

For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.

For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.