Proverbs 26:20

20 Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.

Proverbs 26:20 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 26:20

Where no wood is, [there] the fire goeth out
Or "woods" {h}; where there is a large quantity of wood or fuel, the fire is kept up; but where there is little, scarce any or none at all, it goes out of course; So where [there is] no talebearer, the strife ceaseth;
or is silent {i}: men cease to quarrel one with another; they hold their peace and are silent, when there are none to bring tales from one to another, or any whisperer or backbiter to suggest evil things of each other; or when such are discouraged on both sides, and their tales are not listened to; or when they are detected and thrust out of doors, as they deserve, then strife subsides, and peace ensues. Contention is like a fire, the flame of which is blown up by talebearers and whisperers, who are as incendiaries, and as such are to be treated.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (Myue opab) "deficientibus lignis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "in deficientia lignorum", Michaelis; "quum expirarunt ligna", Schultens.
F9 (qtvy) "silebit", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, Gejerus; "silet", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "consilescit", Cocceius, Schultens.

Proverbs 26:20 In-Context

18 Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,

19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.

21 Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.