Birds of Prey Carrying Fire With the Proverbs Talebearer Verseby emmanuel_higgins
26:21Proverbs 26:21
As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
As coals keep burning coals alight and wood keeps fire alive, so a quarrelsome, contentious person supplies the fuel that kindles and sustains strife. Evil-speaking is that fuel, spreading dissension and strife wherever it is carried. The work of stirring contention does not end with others, for the one who spreads strife reaps its deadly effects back in his own soul. In doing so he forfeits true happiness, which cannot live with a strife-kindling spirit.
As coals keep burning coals alight and wood keeps fire alive, so a quarrelsome, contentious person supplies the fuel that kindles and sustains strife. Evil-speaking is that fuel, spreading dissension and strife wherever it is carried. The work of stirring contention does not end with others, for the one who spreads strife reaps its deadly effects back in his own soul. In doing so he forfeits true happiness, which cannot live with a strife-kindling spirit.