Proverbs 11 [9, 11, 12, 13, 22] The power of the tongue. These verses in particular warn us against gossip and useless talk. Our words have the the power to build up and destroy, they are the difference between peace and war. Wisdom teaches us that there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:7b) and it is our responsibility to gain said wisdom so that we know what to say, how to say it and when to say it.