Proverbs 26:20

20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

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Proverbs 26:20 in Other Translations

KJV

20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

ESV

20 For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

NLT

20 Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.

MSG

20 When you run out of wood, the fire goes out; when the gossip ends, the quarrel dies down.

CSB

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

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.

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible