The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.

纷争的起头如水放开，所以，在争闹之先必当止息争竞。

纷争掀起，如同缺口的水；因此，争端尚未爆发就当制止。

纷争掀起，如同缺口的水；因此，争端尚未爆发就当制止。

争端爆发如洪水决堤，当在爆发前将其制止。

纷争的开始，如同决堤的水；所以在争执发生以前，就要制止。

纷争的开始，就如放开的水；卷入争执之前，当放弃争辩。

紛爭的起頭如水放開，所以，在爭鬧之先必當止息爭競。

紛爭掀起，如同缺口的水；因此，爭端尚未爆發就當制止。

紛爭掀起，如同缺口的水；因此，爭端尚未爆發就當制止。

爭端爆發如洪水決堤，當在爆發前將其制止。

紛爭的開始，如同決堤的水；所以在爭執發生以前，就要制止。

紛爭之起點如放水；故爭吵尚未暴發，先要放棄。

紛爭的開始，就如放開的水；捲入爭執之前，當放棄爭辯。

釁端之起、如水潰決、宜先弭之、以免爭鬥、

釁隙之開、若江河之潰、故爭競將起、必弭之。

爭端之起、如水之破隙、故爭競未發之先、當止之、

Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

Starting to argue is like making a crack in a dam. So drop the matter before a fight breaks out.

The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.

To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out.

The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out.

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.

To start a conflict is to release a flood; stop the dispute before it breaks out.

The beginning of strife[ is as] when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out!

The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.

Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame?

It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.

that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,

But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Now Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying,“ Come, let us face one another in battle.”And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying,“ The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying,‘ Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.Indeed you say that you have defeated the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to boast. Stay at home now; why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall— you and Judah with you?”But Amaziah would not heed, for it came from God, that He might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom.So Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent.Then Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate— four hundred cubits.And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly.

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression.

As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah,“ Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!”And Jephthah said to them,“ My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands.So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said,“ You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.”The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said,“ Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him,“ Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said,“ No,”then they would say to him,“ Then say,‘ shibboleth’!” And he would say,“ Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.

But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,

He who loves transgression loves strife, And he who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying,“ My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!”So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the Lord might fulfill His word, which He had spoken by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying:“ What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!” So all Israel departed to their tents.

Now the men of Ephraim said to him,“ Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?” And they reprimanded him sharply.So he said to them,“ What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.

But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.

Just then all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king,“ Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David’s men with him across the Jordan?”So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel,“ Because the king is a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said,“ We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us— were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.And there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said:“ We have no share in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!”So every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal to their king.Now David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.And the king said to Amasa,“ Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.”So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him.And David said to Abishai,“ Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us.”So Joab’s men, with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out.Then Joab said to Amasa,“ Are you in health, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.Meanwhile one of Joab’s men stood near Amasa, and said,“ Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David— follow Joab!”But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted.When he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maachah and all the Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after Sheba.Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.Then a wise woman cried out from the city,“ Hear, Hear! Please say to Joab,‘ Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’”When he had come near to her, the woman said,“ Are you Joab?” He answered,“ I am.” Then she said to him,“ Hear the words of your maidservant.” And he answered,“ I am listening.”So she spoke, saying,“ They used to talk in former times, saying,‘ They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes.I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?”And Joab answered and said,“ Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy!That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.” So the woman said to Joab,“ Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

So Abram said to Lot,“ Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.

Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying,“ It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them:“ Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.And after they had become silent, James answered, saying,“ Men and brethren, listen to me:Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:‘ After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.’“ Known to God from eternity are all His works.Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said,“ It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,

Then Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; so five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain.

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Then Abner said to Joab,“ Let the young men now arise and compete before us.” And Joab said,“ Let them arise.”So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon.So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.