Parallel Verses

Bible in Basic English

Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.

New American Standard Bible

Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

King James Version

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

Holman Bible

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

International Standard Version

Charcoal is to hot coals as wood is to fire; so also a quarrelsome man fuels strife.

A Conservative Version

[As] coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.

American Standard Version

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife.

Amplified


Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Darby Translation

As coals for hot coals, and wood for fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife.

Julia Smith Translation

As charcoal to burning coals and woods to fire, and a man of strifes to kindle strife.

King James 2000

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

Lexham Expanded Bible

[As] charcoal [is] to hot embers and wood [is] to fire, so a man of quarrels [is] to kindling strife.

Modern King James verseion

As coals to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man to kindle fighting.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Coals kindle heat, and wood the fire; even so doth a brawling fellow stir up variance.

NET Bible

Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious person to kindle strife.

New Heart English Bible

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

The Emphasized Bible

Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling strife.

Webster

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

World English Bible

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.

Youngs Literal Translation

Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
As coals
פּחם 
Pecham 
Usage: 3

גּחלת גּחל 
Gechel 
Usage: 18

and wood
עץ 
`ets 
Usage: 329

to fire
אשׁ 
'esh 
Usage: 378

so is a contentious
מדין 
Midyan 
Usage: 9

man
אישׁ 
'iysh 
Usage: 692

to kindle
חרר 
Charar 
Usage: 10

References

Easton

Fausets

Smith

Context Readings

All About Fools

20 Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended. 21 Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started. 22 The words of one who says evil of his neighbour secretly are like sweet food, they go down into the inner parts of the stomach.

Cross References

Proverbs 15:18

An angry man makes men come to blows, but he who is slow to get angry puts an end to fighting.

Proverbs 29:22

An angry man is the cause of fighting, and a man given to wrath does much wrong.

2 Samuel 20:1

Now by chance there was present a good-for-nothing person named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he, sounding the horn, said, We have no part in David, or any interest in the son of Jesse: let every man go to his tent, O Israel.

1 Kings 12:2-3

And, hearing of it, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who was still in Egypt, where he had gone in flight from Solomon, and was living there, came back to his town Zeredah, in the hill-country of Ephraim;

1 Kings 12:20

Now when all Israel had news that Jeroboam had come back, they sent for him to come before the meeting of the people, and made him king over Israel: not one of them was joined to the family of David but only the tribe of Judah.

Proverbs 10:12

Hate is a cause of violent acts, but all errors are covered up by love.

Proverbs 30:33

The shaking of milk makes butter, and the twisting of the nose makes blood come: so the forcing of wrath is a cause of fighting.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain