Proverbs 26:21

21 Coal glows. Wood burns. And a man who argues stirs up fights.

Proverbs 26:21 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 26:21

As coals [are] to burning coals, and wood to fire
As brands, wood half burnt, or dead coals put to live and burning ones, soon take fire and become like them, and fit and proper fuel for them, and add to their heat: so [is] a contentious man to kindle strife;
or "a man of contentions" {k}; who is given to it, is full of it; it is agreeable to his natural temper and disposition; he is in his element when at it; such a man is as fuel to the fire, as a dead coal to a living one, which increases the heat of it; so does he, he kindles and spreads the flame of contention and strife.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (Mynwdm vya) "vir contentionum", Montanus, Baynus, Piscator, Gejerus.

Proverbs 26:21 In-Context

19 A man who lies to his neighbor and says, "I was only joking!" is just like that person.

20 If you don't have wood, your fire goes out. If you don't talk about others, arguing dies down.

21 Coal glows. Wood burns. And a man who argues stirs up fights.

22 The words of anyone who talks about others are like tasty bites of food. They go deep down inside you.

23 Warm words that come from an evil heart are like shiny paint on a clay pot.