Amsal 26:20-22

26:20 Where there is no wood, a fire goes out,

and where there is no gossip, ¹  contention ceases. ² 

26:21 Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,

so is a contentious person ³  to kindle strife. ⁴ 

26:22 The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels;

they go down into a person’s innermost being. ⁵ 

[26:20]  ¹ sn Gossip (that is, the one who goes around whispering and slandering) fuels contention just as wood fuels a fire. The point of the proverb is to prevent contention – if one takes away the cause, contention will cease (e.g., 18:8).

[26:20]  ² tn Heb “becomes silent.”

[26:21]  ³ sn Heb “a man of contentions”; NCV, NRSV, NLT “a quarrelsome person.” The expression focuses on the person who is contentious by nature. His quarreling is like piling fuel on a fire that would otherwise go out. This kind of person not only starts strife, but keeps it going.

[26:21]  ⁴ tn The Pilpel infinitive construct לְחַרְחַר (lÿkharkhar) from חָרַר (kharar, “to be hot; to be scorched; to burn”) means “to kindle; to cause to flare up.”

[26:22]  ⁵ tn The proverb is essentially the same as 18:8; it observes how appealing gossip is.