Proverbs 26 · Verse 20

Proverbs 26:20

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
Proverbs 26:20, King James Version

Proverbs 26:20 in other translations

BSBWithout wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
WEBFor lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
ASVFor lack of wood the fire goeth out; And where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth.
YLTWithout wood is fire going out, And without a tale-bearer, contention ceaseth,
DARBYWhere no wood is, the fire goeth out; and where there is no talebearer, the contention ceaseth.
BBEWithout wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended.
WebsterWhere no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.

What does Proverbs 26:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 26:20-21
20-21. The talebearers foster (Pr 16:28), and the contentious excite, strife.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out - The tale-receiver and the tale-bearer are the agents of discord. If none received the slander in the first instance, it could not be propagated. Hence our proverb, "The receiver is as bad as the thief." And our laws treat them equally; for the receiver of stolen goods, knowing them to be stolen, is hanged, as well as he who stole them.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 26:20-22
Contention heats the spirit, and puts families and societies into a flame. And that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning by whisperers and backbiters.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 26:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

בְּאֶ֣פֶסbe.'E.feswith notH657
עֵ֭צִים'E.tzimwood<s>H6086
תִּכְבֶּה\־tikh.beh-it is extinguishedH3518
אֵ֑שׁ'Esha fireH784
וּבְאֵ֥יןu.ve.'Einand with notH369
נִ֝רְגָּ֗ןnir.Gana slandererH7279
יִשְׁתֹּ֥קyish.Tokit becomes quietH8367
מָדֽוֹן\׃ma.DonstrifeH4066

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 26:20

  • Proverbs 16:28

    A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

  • Proverbs 22:10

    Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

  • James 3:6

    And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

  • Proverbs 26:22

    The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Where no wood is. Heb. Without wood. so.
22; 16:28; 22:10; Jas 3:6
tale-bearer. or, whisperer. ceaseth. Heb. is silent.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 26:19

    So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

  • Proverbs 26:20

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

  • Proverbs 26:21

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

Read all of Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Sin leña se apaga el fuego: y donde no hay chismoso, cesa la contienda.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Faute de bois, le feu s’éteint; et, quand il n’y a plus de rapporteurs, la querelle s’apaise.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wo es an Holz fehlt, erlischt das Feuer; und wo kein Ohrenbläser ist, hört der Zank auf.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cum defecerint ligna extinguetur ignis, et susurrone subtracto, jurgia conquiescent.