Proverbs 14:28

14:28 A king’s glory is ¹  the abundance of people,

but the lack of subjects ²  is the ruin ³  of a ruler.

Proverbs 26:20

26:20 Where there is no wood, a fire goes out,

and where there is no gossip, ⁴  contention ceases. ⁵ 

[14:28]  ¹ tn The preposition serves as the beth essentiae – the glory is the abundant population, not in it.

[14:28]  ² tn Heb “people.” Cf. NLT “a dwindling nation.”

[14:28]  ³ sn The word means “ruin; destruction,” but in this context it could be a metonymy of effect, the cause being an attack by more numerous people that will bring ruin to the ruler. The proverb is purely a practical and secular saying, unlike some of the faith teachings in salvation history passages.

[26:20]  ⁴ sn Gossip (that is, the one who goes around whispering and slandering) fuels contention just as wood fuels a fire. The point of the proverb is to prevent contention – if one takes away the cause, contention will cease (e.g., 18:8).

[26:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “becomes silent.”