Proverbs 26:21
“As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.”
What does Proverbs 26:21 mean?
A person who loves to argue is like fuel on a fire: they don't just join conflicts, they actively make them burn hotter and spread wider. The proverb compares how coals intensify embers and wood feeds flames to how quarrelsome people energize disputes and create new ones. When someone consistently provokes arguments or refuses to let tensions settle, they're essentially throwing logs onto a situation that might otherwise cool down. The message isn't just that contentious people cause trouble, but that they're the thing that keeps conflict alive and growing.