Proverbs 26:20
18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
- KJV
- Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
- WEB
- For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
- ASV
- For lack of wood the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
- DARBY
- Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.
- BLB
- With the end of the wood, the fire [is] quenched, and without one whispering, strife quiets down.
- ÅB
- Når det er forbi med veden, slukner ilden, og når det ingen øretuter er, stilles trette.
- OTB
- Uten ved slukner en ild; uten en sladrehank stilner en krangel.
- B1930
- Når det er forbi med veden, slukner ilden, og når det ingen øretuter er, stilles trette.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 16:28
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
Read in contextProverbs 22:10
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
Read in contextJames 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Read in contextProverbs 26:22
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Read in context