And the Generous
There is that scattereth, and increaseth yet more;
And there is that withholdeth, and it tendeth only to want.
The liberal man shall prosper the more,
And he that nourisheth others shall himself be nourished (Pr. 1124, 25)—
But appearances are sometimes deceptive:
There is that feigneth himself rich, yet hath nothing;
And there is that feigneth poverty, yet hath great wealth (Pr. 137).
There are numerous sayings dealing with the tale-bearer and the mischief-maker, for slander was a prominent evil of the crowded Oriental cities:
The Slanderer
The liar disseminates strife:
The whisperer parteth friends (Pr. 1628).
For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth (Pr. 2620).
The Mischief-Maker
An evil man digs a pit of mischief
And on his lips is a fire that burns[54] (Pr. 1627).
An evil man, a sinful man, deals always in crooked speech.
He winks his eyes and shuffles his feet,
And his fingers make secret signs:
His thoughts are all plots,
He plans ceaselessly mischief;
A spreader of discord.
Wherefore, his ruin shall come in an instant.
Like a flash he’ll be broken, and that beyond mending (Pr. 612-15).
The Boaster