Whoever corrects ¹  a mocker is asking for ²  insult; ³  whoever reproves a wicked person receives ⁴  abuse.

A kind person ¹  benefits ²  himself, ³  but a cruel person brings himself trouble. ⁴ 

Do not slander ¹  a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you are found guilty. ² 

The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor ¹  and I will punish all who try to oppress them.

“If a man borrows an animal ¹  from his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies when its owner was not with it, the man who borrowed it ²  will surely pay.

These men were very good to us. They did not insult us, nor did we sustain any loss during the entire time we were together ¹  in the field.

May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated! May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed! ¹ 

They offer only superficial help for the harm my people have suffered. ¹  They say, ‘Everything will be all right!’ But everything is not all right! ² 

They offer only superficial help for the hurt my dear people ¹  have suffered. ²  They say, “Everything will be all right!” But everything is not all right! ³ 

So, now the Lord says, ¹  ‘You have not listened to me. But ²  you have made me angry by the things that you have done. ³  Thus you have brought harm on yourselves.’

because I am with you, and no one will assault ¹  you to harm ²  you, because I have many people in this city.”

If ¹  anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths ²  and completely consumes ³  their enemies. If ⁴  anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed this way.

Now I hear that they are shearing sheep for you. When your shepherds were with us, we neither insulted them nor harmed them the whole time they were in Carmel.

Why do you complain about your injuries, that your pain is incurable? I have done all this to you because your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much.

Your destruction is like an incurable wound; ¹  your demise is like a fatal injury! ²  All who hear what has happened to you ³  will clap their hands for joy, ⁴  for no one ever escaped your endless cruelty! ⁵ 

The next day Moses ¹  saw two men ²  fighting, and tried to make peace between ³  them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting one another?’

For if your brother or sister ¹  is distressed because of what you eat, ²  you are no longer walking in love. ³  Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.

But the wheat and the spelt ¹  were not struck, for they are later crops.) ² 

so that he may initiate a search of the records ¹  of his predecessors ²  and discover in those records ³  that this city is rebellious ⁴  and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts ⁵  from long ago. ⁶  It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed.

How painful ¹  are honest words! But ²  what does your reproof ³  prove? ⁴