Wisdom Principles—No False/Double Standards

Leviticus 19:35-36

You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. 36 You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt

Deuteronomy 25:13-16

You shall not keep two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and the other light; 14 nor shall you keep two different ephahs in your house, one large and the other small. 15 But use a full and just weight, a full and just ephah, so that you may have a long life on the land the Lord, your God, is giving you. 16 For everyone who does these things, everyone who does what is dishonest, is an abomination to the Lord, your God.

Proverbs 11:1

False scales are an abomination to the Lord, but an honest weight, his delight.

Proverbs 16:11

A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.

Proverbs 20:10

Varying weights, varying measures, are both an abomination to the Lord.

Proverbs 20:23

Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord, and a false scale is not good.

Ezekiel 45:9-10

"The Lord Yahweh says this: Enough, princes of Israel! Give up your violence and plundering, do what is upright and just, stop crushing my people with taxation -- declares the Lord Yahweh. 10 Have fair scales, a fair ephah, a fair bat.

Hosea 12:8-9

Merchants use fraudulent scales. To defraud is his delight. 9 'How rich I have become!' says Ephraim, 'I have made a fortune.' But of all his gains he will keep nothing because of the sin of which he is guilty.

Amos 8:4-7

Listen to this, you who crush the needy and reduce the oppressed to nothing, 5 you who say, 'When will New Moon be over so that we can sell our corn, and Sabbath, so that we can market our wheat? Then, we can make the bushel-measure smaller and the shekel-weight bigger, by fraudulently tampering with the scales. 6 We can buy up the weak for silver and the poor for a pair of sandals, and even get a price for the sweepings of the wheat.' 7 Yahweh has sworn by the pride of Jacob, 'Never will I forget anything they have done.'

Micah 6:10-11

Can I forget the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed? 11 Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights?

Matthew 5:37

Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Wisdom Principles—Blessing through Speech

Deuteronomy 30:14
But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.

Joshua 1:8
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 34:1
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 37:30
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

Psalm 63:5
…with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Proverbs 8:6
Listen, for I will speak noble things; and the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

Proverbs 10:11
The mouth of the upright is a life-giving fountain

Proverbs 10:20
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver

Proverbs 10:21
The lips of the righteous nourish many

Proverbs 12:18
The tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 12:20
Joy with those who give counsels of peace.

Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.

Proverbs 13:14
The teaching of the wise is a life-giving fountain for eluding the snares of death.

Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath

Proverbs 15:4
A soothing tongue is a tree of life

Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable

Proverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge

Proverbs 15:26
Pleasant words are pure.

Proverbs 16:21
Sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.

Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 25:11

Like apples of gold inlaid with silver is a word that is aptly spoken.

Proverbs 25:15
A soft tongue breaks the bone.

Proverbs 31:26
She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Ecclesiastes 10:12
Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious

Sirach 18:16-17
Does not the dew give relief from the scorching heat?  So a word is better than a gift. ¹⁷Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift?  Both are to be found in a gracious person. 

Sirach 27:11
The conversation of the godly is always wise

Romans 10:8-10
But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, "that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: ⁹That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 5:4
There must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Encourage one another and build each other up

Wisdom Principles-Restrain Your Speech

1 Samuel 2:3
Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.

Job 13:5
O that you would be completely silent, and that it would become your wisdom!

Psalm 12:3
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.

Psalm 17:3
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

Psalm 141:3
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Proverbs 10:19
When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

Proverbs 11:12
A man of understanding keeps silent.

Proverbs 12:23

A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly.

Proverbs 13:3
The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Proverbs 17:27
He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles.

Proverbs 27:2
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-3
Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.

²Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God for God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.

³For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

Ecclesiastes 10:13-14
… the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness.  14Yet the fool multiplies words

Wisdom 1:11
Therefore guard against profitless grumbling, and from calumny withhold your tongues; for a stealthy utterance does not go unpunished, and a lying mouth slays the soul.

Sirach 5:12
If you know what to say, answer your neighbor; but if not, put your hand over your mouth.

Sirach 7:14
Do not babble in the assembly of the elders, and do not repeat yourself when you pray.

Sirach 20:5-7
Some people keep silent and are thought to be wise, while others are detested for being talkative. 

⁶Some people keep silent because they have nothing to say, while others keep silent because they know when to speak.
⁷The wise remain silent until the right moment, but a boasting fool misses the right moment.

Sirach 21:16
A fool’s chatter is like a burden on a journey, but delight is found in the speech of the intelligent.

Sirach 21:25
The lips of babblers speak of what is not their concern, but the words of the prudent are weighed in the balance.

Sirach 21:26
The mind of fools is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wise is in their mind. 

Sirach 22:27
Who will set a guard over my mouth, and an effective seal upon my lips, 

so that I may not fall because of them, and my tongue may not destroy me?

Sirach 27:4
When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears; so do a person’s faults when he speaks.

Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.

Matthew 5:37
Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 12:36
But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.

Philippians 2:14
Do everything without complaining or arguing.

James 1:19
Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger

James 1:26
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.

Wisdom Principles—Avoid Gossip & Slander

Leviticus 19:16
You shall not go about spreading slander among your people

Psalm 15:1-3
Lord, who may enter your Temple? Who may worship on Zion, your sacred hill? 2 Those … who do not slander others…nor spread rumors about their neighbors.

Psalm 34:13
Keep your tongue from evil …

Psalm 101:5
Him who slanders his neighbor secret I will destroy

Psalm 140:11
Let not the slanderer be established in the land;

Proverbs 10:18
…he who spreads slander is a fool.

Proverbs 11:13
He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.

Proverbs 17:4

An evil-doer pays heed to malicious talk, a liar listens to a slanderous tongue.

Proverbs 18:8
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body

Proverbs 20:19
…do not associate with a gossip.

Proverbs 25:9-10
Argue your case with your neighbor, and do not reveal the secret of another, 

or he who hears it will reproach you, and the evil report about you will not pass away.

Proverbs 26:20
For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.

Proverbs 26:22
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

Proverbs 30:10
Do not slander a servant to his master

Wisdom 1:11
Beware then of useless murmuring, and keep your tongue from slander; because no secret word is without result, and a lying mouth destroys the soul.

Sirach 5:14
Do not be called double-tongued; and with your tongue do not slander a neighbor. For shame has been created for the thief, and sore disgrace for the double-tongued.

Sirach 19:5-10
One who rejoices in wickedness will be condemned, ⁶but one who hates gossip has less evil. ⁷Never repeat a conversation and you will lose nothing at all. 

⁸With friend or foe do not report it, and unless it would be a sin for you, do not reveal it; ⁹for someone may have heard you and watched you, and in time will hate you. ¹⁰Have you heard something? Let it die with you. Be brave, it will not make you burst! 

Sirach 19:12
Like an arrow stuck in a fool’s thigh, so is gossip in the belly of a fool.

Sirach 21:28
A whisperer degrades himself and is hated in his neighborhood.

Sirach 27:16-17
Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence, and will never find a congenial friend. ¹⁷Love your friend and keep faith with him; but if you betray his secrets, do not follow after him.

Sirach 28:13
Cursed be gossips and the double-tongued, for they destroy the peace of many.

Sirach 28:14
Slander has shaken many, and scattered them from nation to nation, and destroyed strong cities, and overturned the houses of great men.

Sirach 28:16-19
Those who pay heed to slander will not find rest, nor will they settle down in peace. 

¹⁷The blow of a whip raises a welt, but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones.
¹⁸Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not as many as have fallen because of the tongue. ¹⁹Happy is one who is protected from it, who has not been exposed to its anger, who has not borne its yoke, and has not been bound with its fetters.

Jeremiah 6:28
They are all stubbornly rebellious, going about with slanders

Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.

Romans 1:29
They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, they are gossips,

1 Timothy 5:13
And furthermore, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers but gossips and busybodies as well, talking about things that ought not to be mentioned

James 4:11
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law

1 Peter 2:1
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

1 Peter 3:10
Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.