The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
Proverbs 17:14
What does Proverbs 17:14 mean?
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Proverbs 17:14
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse powerfully compares the start of a quarrel to a tiny crack in a water reservoir, which can quickly swell into a destructive flood. This highlights how even a small, seemingly insignificant disagreement can rapidly escalate beyond control if not addressed early on. The Hebrew word translated "meddled with" might even suggest the moment before angry dogs bare their teeth, emphasizing the need to stop conflict before it turns truly savage.
The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The book of Proverbs is exploring the wisdom of living rightly, and here it focuses on the destructive nature of arguments. The author uses vivid imagery of water escaping a reservoir to illustrate how easily a small disagreement can spiral into widespread chaos if not stopped early. It warns to cease quarreling before it escalates beyond control, implying that intervention is easiest and most effective at the very start.
Ever seen a small leak turn into a flood? Proverbs uses this powerful image to show how quickly arguments can spiral out of control.
The Destructive Power of Small Beginnings
Solomon compares the start of a quarrel to the first little crack in a water reservoir's dam. Think about ancient cities that relied on these massive pools for survival. A tiny fissure might seem insignificant at first, just a few drops escaping.
But left unchecked, that small leak becomes a raging torrent. The water pressure builds, the crack widens, and soon the entire structure gives way. The flood rushes out, causing widespread destruction that’s impossible to contain.
This vividly illustrates how disputes begin. A careless word, a minor disagreement, a misunderstanding – these are the tiny cracks. If we don't address them immediately, they can quickly escalate into bitter feuds, broken relationships, and irreparable damage.
When is the best time to stop an argument? The answer might surprise you – it's before it even really starts.
The Wisdom of Early Exit
The second part of the verse gives us a clear command: '...so quit before the quarrel breaks out.' This isn't about avoiding all conflict, but about recognizing when a situation is about to turn ugly and wisely disengaging.
Scholars suggest the original wording might mean something like 'before they show their teeth' – like an angry dog baring its fangs, or before tempers truly flare and harsh words are exchanged. It's that critical moment the situation becomes unmanageable, before pride takes over and reconciliation becomes nearly impossible.
Ask a follow-up
This calls for wisdom and self-control. It means choosing to walk away, to stay silent, or to de-escalate when you sense the beginnings of serious contention. It's a proactive step to prevent the floodwaters of strife from ever being released.
Understand the original words
madon · Hebrew Noun
Strife refers to contention, discord, or a quarrelsome spirit that disrupts community harmony and reflects an inner state of agitation and conflict. It is viewed as a destructive force that begins with small words or actions but quickly escalates.
This passage mirrors the imagery of Proverbs, describing the tongue as a small but powerful force capable of immense destruction, much like the initial trickle of water that can eventually flood and ruin everything.
Genesis 13:8-9Here, Abram demonstrates the wisdom of Proverbs by proactively stepping back from a potential conflict with Lot, choosing peace over a dispute that could have escalated.
Matthew 5:25Jesus gives a direct command to settle disputes quickly, reflecting the wisdom of Proverbs 17:14 by urging us to deal with conflict before it grows beyond our ability to control.
Ephesians 4:26-27This verse echoes the warning in Proverbs, advising believers not to let anger fester and grow, as it provides a foothold for the enemy to cause further division and destruction.
barnesProverbs 17:14: "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with."
The figure is taken from the great tank or reservoir upon which Eastern cities often depended for their supply of water. The beginning of strife is compared to the first crack in the mound of such a reservoir. At first a few drops ooze out, but after a time the whole mass of waters pour themselves forth with fury, and it is hard to set limits to the destruction…
ellicottProverbs 17:14: "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with."
(14) The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water. —The drops which ooze through a tiny hole in the bank of a reservoir soon swell into an unmanageable torrent; so from insignificant beginnings arise feuds which cannot be appeased. Solomon constructed large pools ( Ecclesiastes 2:6 ) beyond Bethlehem, and is supposed to have brought the water from th…
The verse powerfully compares the start of a quarrel to a tiny crack in a water reservoir, which can quickly swell into a destructive flood. This highlights how even a small, seemingly insignificant disagreement can rapidly escalate beyond control if not addressed early on. The Hebrew word translated "meddled with" might even suggest the moment before angry dogs bare their teeth, emphasizing the need to stop conflict before it turns truly savage.
The book of Proverbs is exploring the wisdom of living rightly, and here it focuses on the destructive nature of arguments. The author uses vivid imagery of water escaping a reservoir to illustrate how easily a small disagreement can spiral into widespread chaos if not stopped early. It warns to cease quarreling before it escalates beyond control, implying that intervention is easiest and most effective at the very start.
The book of Proverbs is exploring the wisdom of living rightly, and here it focuses on the destructive nature of arguments. The author uses vivid imagery of water escaping a reservoir to illustrate how easily a small disagreement can spiral into widespread chaos if not stopped early. It warns to cease quarreling before it escalates beyond control, implying that intervention is easiest and most effective at the very start.
"The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out." — The verse powerfully compares the start of a quarrel to a tiny crack in a water reservoir, which can quickly swell into a destructive flood. This highlights how even a small, seemingly insignificant…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026