The one who denounces ¹  his neighbor lacks wisdom, ²  but the one who has discernment ³  keeps silent. ⁴ 

The one who guards his mouth and his tongue ¹  keeps his life ²  from troubles. ³ 

A fool lets fly with all his temper, ¹  but a wise person keeps it back. ² 

Yes, you are a God who keeps hidden, O God of Israel, deliverer!

Thorns and snares ¹  are in the path of the perverse, but the one who guards himself keeps far from them.

The one who keeps the law ¹  is a discerning child, ²  but a companion of gluttons brings shame ³  to his parents. ⁴ 

For this reason whoever is smart ¹  keeps quiet ²  in such a time, for it is an evil ³  time.

Then I said, “Please, O LORD God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant ¹  with those who love him and obey ²  his commandments,

A song of ascents. ²  How blessed is every one of the Lord’s loyal followers, ³  each one who keeps his commands! ⁴ 

When there is no prophetic vision ¹  the people cast off restraint, ²  but the one who keeps the law, ³  blessed is he! ⁴ 

I decided ¹  to carefully ²  and thoroughly examine ³  all that has been accomplished on earth. ⁴  I concluded: ⁵  God has given people ⁶  a burdensome task ⁷  that keeps them ⁸  occupied. ⁹ 

For he does not think ¹  much about the fleeting ²  days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied ³  with the joy he derives from his activity. ⁴ 

yet a fool keeps on babbling. ¹  No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future? ² 

A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work! A curse on anyone who keeps from carrying out his destruction! ¹ 

So realize that the Lord your God is the true God, ¹  the faithful God who keeps covenant faithfully ²  with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

One of his advisers said, “No, my master, O king. The prophet Elisha who lives in Israel keeps telling the king of Israel the things you say in your bedroom.”

They say, ‘Keep to yourself! Don’t get near me, for I am holier than you!’ These people are like smoke in my nostrils, like a fire that keeps burning all day long.

“So now, our God – the great, powerful, and awesome God, who keeps covenant fidelity ¹  – do not regard as inconsequential ²  all the hardship that has befallen us – our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people – from the days of the kings of Assyria until this very day!