⁴ The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

⁴ A gentle tongue is a tree of life; But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.

⁴ A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but deceit in it crushes the spirit.

⁴ Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.