Proverbs 26:17-22

Christian Standard Bible

¹⁷ A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his
is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.
¹⁸ Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,^(A)
19 so is the person who deceives his neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

²⁰ Without wood, fire goes out;
without a gossip, conflict dies down.^(B)
21 As charcoal for embers and wood for fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.^(C)
22 A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.^[a](D)