Proverbs 26:17
New International Version
Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

New Living Translation
Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears.

English Standard Version
Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

Berean Standard Bible
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

King James Bible
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

New King James Version
He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

New American Standard Bible
Like one who takes a dog by the ears, So is one who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.

NASB 1995
Like one who takes a dog by the ears Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.

NASB 1977
Like one who takes a dog by the ears Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Like one who seizes a dog by the ears Is he who passes by and becomes passionate about strife not belonging to him.

Amplified Bible
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears [and is likely to be bitten] Is he who, passing by, stops to meddle with a dispute that is none of his business.

Christian Standard Bible
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.

American Standard Version
He that passeth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He that meddles in a case that is not his is like he that takes a dog by its ears.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.

Contemporary English Version
It's better to take hold of a mad dog by the ears than to take part in someone else's argument.

Douay-Rheims Bible
As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man's quarrel.

English Revised Version
He that passeth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
[Like] grabbing a dog by the ears, [so] is a bystander who gets involved in someone else's quarrel.

Good News Translation
Getting involved in an argument that is none of your business is like going down the street and grabbing a dog by the ears.

International Standard Version
Picking up a dog by the ears— that's what someone is like who meddles in another's fight.

JPS Tanakh 1917
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife not his own, Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

Literal Standard Version
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, | [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.

Majority Standard Bible
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

New American Bible
Whoever meddles in the quarrel of another is one who grabs a passing dog by the ears.

NET Bible
Like one who grabs a wild dog by the ears, so is the person passing by who becomes furious over a quarrel not his own.

New Revised Standard Version
Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.

New Heart English Bible
Like one who grabs a dog's ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.

Webster's Bible Translation
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

World English Bible
Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.

Young's Literal Translation
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, Is a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Similitudes and Instructions
16The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly. 17Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own. 18Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,…

Cross References
Proverbs 3:30
Do not accuse a man without cause, when he has done you no harm.

Proverbs 26:18
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,


Treasury of Scripture

He that passes by, and meddles with strife belonging not to him, is like one that takes a dog by the ears.

passeth

Proverbs 17:11
An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

Proverbs 18:6
A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

Proverbs 20:3
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

meddleth or is enraged

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Belonging Business Dog Dog's Ears Fight Gets Hold Laying Making Mixed Passer-By Passes Passeth Passing Quarrel Seizes Strife Wrath
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Belonging Business Dog Dog's Ears Fight Gets Hold Laying Making Mixed Passer-By Passes Passeth Passing Quarrel Seizes Strife Wrath
Proverbs 26
1. observations about fools
13. about sluggards
17. and about contentious busybodies














(17) Meddleth with strife.--Rather, that is excited with strife. If quarrelling and taking revenge on our own account are forbidden (Romans 12:18-19), how much more is the mixing up of ourselves in the disputes of other persons.

Like one that taketh a dog by the ears.--Who deserves to be bitten for his pains, the usual result of interfering in quarrels.

Verses 17-28. - A series of proverbs connected more or less with peacefulness and its opposite. Verse 17. - He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him. "Meddleth with strife" should be "vexes, excites himself, with a quarrel." Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears, and thus needlessly provokes him to bark and bite. Regarding the position of the two participles in this verse, without any connecting link, Delitzsch takes "passing by" as attributed to the dog, thus: "He seizes by the ears a dog passing by, who is excited by a strife that concerns him not." The stray dog corresponds to the quarrel with which one has nothing to do. The present accentuation does not support this view; otherwise it is suitable and probable. Septuagint, "As he who lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he who sets himself forth as champion in another's cause." Ecclus. 11:9, "Strive not in a matter that concerns thee not." Says a Greek gnome -

Πολυπραγμονεῖν τὰλλότρια μὴ βοῦλου κακά Our English proverb says, "He that intermeddles with all things may go shoe the goslings." The Telugu compares such interference to a monkey holding a snake in his paw; it is hard to hold, dangerous to let go (Lane).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Like one who grabs
מַחֲזִ֥יק (ma·ḥă·zîq)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

a dog
כָ֑לֶב (ḵā·leḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3611: A dog, a male prostitute

by the ears
בְּאָזְנֵי־ (bə·’ā·zə·nê-)
Preposition-b | Noun - fdc
Strong's 241: Broadness, the ear

is a passer-by
עֹבֵ֥ר (‘ō·ḇêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

who meddles
מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר (miṯ·‘ab·bêr)
Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

in
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a quarrel
רִ֥יב (rîḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7379: Strife, dispute

not his own.
לֹּֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 26:17 Like one who grabs a dog's ears (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 26:16
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