Proverbs 26:21

Modern

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

Traditional

As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Literal

Charcoal to burning coals, and wood to a fire, so is a man of quarrels to kindle strife.

Latin

Sicut carbones ad prunas, et ligna ad ignem, sic homo iracundus suscitat rixas.

Hebrew

English

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

A gossip and a quarrelsome person both add fuel to the fire of trouble and conflict.

Theme notes and profiles

Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
2 Samuel 20:1
Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
1 Kings 12:20
When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.
1 Kings 12:2–3
When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since.
Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.
Proverbs 30:33
For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
Psalm 120:4
Sharp arrows will come from the warrior, with burning coals of the broom tree!