The tongue is death or life, poison or medicine, as it is used. 1.
There are words that are cutting and killing, that are like the
piercings of a sword. Opprobrious words grieve the spirits of those to
whom they are spoken, and cut them to the heart. Slanders, like a
sword, wound the reputation of those of whom they are uttered, and
perhaps incurably. Whisperings and evil surmises, like a sword, divide
and cut asunder the bounds of love and friendship, and separate those
that have been dearest to each other. 2. There are words that are
curing and healing: The tongue of the wise is health, closing up those
wounds which the backbiting tongue had given, making all whole again,
restoring peace, and accommodating matters in variance and persuading
to reconciliation. Wisdom will find out proper remedies against the
mischiefs that are made by detraction and evil-speaking.