⁴ “Beware of your friends;^(A)
    do not trust anyone in your clan.^(B)
For every one of them is a deceiver,^[a](C)
    and every friend a slanderer.^(D)
5 Friend deceives friend,^(E)
    and no one speaks the truth.^(F)
They have taught their tongues to lie;^(G)
    they weary themselves with sinning.
⁶ You^[b] live in the midst of deception;^(H)
    in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the Lord.

“See, I will refine^(I) and test^(J) them,
    for what else can I do
    because of the sin of my people?
⁸ Their tongue^(K) is a deadly arrow;
    it speaks deceitfully.
With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors,^(L)
    but in their hearts they set traps^(M) for them.^(N)