The one who goes about gossiping ¹  reveals secrets; therefore do not associate ²  with someone who is always opening his mouth. ³ 

A perverse person ¹  spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the closest friends. ² 

And besides that, going around ¹  from house to house they learn to be lazy, ²  and they are not only lazy, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things they should not. ³ 

They are filled ¹  with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with ²  envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips,

The one who goes about slandering others ¹  reveals ²  secrets, but the one who is trustworthy ³  conceals a matter.

Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, ¹  contention ceases. ² 

Those who sit at the city gate gossip about me; drunkards mock me in their songs. ¹ 

The words of a gossip ¹  are like choice morsels; ²  they go down into the person’s innermost being. ³ 

The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into a person’s innermost being. ¹ 

For I am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish, and you will find me ¹  not what you wish. I am afraid that ²  somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, ³  slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.

You will be protected ¹  from malicious gossip, ²  and will not be afraid of the destruction ³  when it comes.

For they harass ¹  the one whom you discipline; ²  they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish. ³ 

The north wind ¹  brings forth rain, and a gossiping tongue ²  brings forth ³  an angry look. ⁴ 

Likewise also their wives ¹  must be dignified, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in every respect.

You must not go about as a slanderer among your people. ¹  You must not stand idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake. ²  I am the Lord.

When someone comes to visit, ¹  he pretends to be friendly; ²  he thinks of ways to defame me, ³  and when he leaves he slanders me. ⁴ 

So prophesy and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely because they have made you desolate and crushed you from all directions, so that you have become the property of the rest of the nations, and have become the subject of gossip ¹  and slander among the people,

before the vindictive enemy who ridicules and insults me. ¹ 

You love to use all the words that destroy, ¹  and the tongue that deceives.

If a ruler listens to ¹  lies, ²  all his ministers ³  will be wicked. ⁴