Proverbs 26:17

“He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife [belonging] not to him, etc.] One that going along the streets, and passing by the door, where two or more persons are quarrelling, and he thrusts himself in and intermeddles in the affair he has no concern in; and interests himself in the cause of the quarrel he has nothing to do with, on account of acquaintance, relation, or office; and especially when, instead of being a mediator and peacemaker, he takes on one side, and acts the angry part, as Aben Ezra interprets the word rendered “meddleth”; blows things up into a greater flame, and enrages the one against the other. Such a man [is like] one that taketh a dog by the ears; which are short,…”

“meddleth--as in Pro 20:19; Pro 24:21; as either holding a dog by the ears or letting him go involves danger, so success in another man's strife or failure involves a useless risk of reputation, does no good, and may do us harm.”

“He - Who is going upon the way. With strife - In which he is not concerned, nor any way obliged to meddle. That taketh - Exposes himself to needless hazard. Proverbs 26:18”

“26:17 The wise avoid getting involved in other people’s arguments (cp. 26:21).”

“passeth: Pro 17:11, Pro 18:6, Pro 20:3; Luk 12:14; Ti2 2:23, Ti2 2:24 meddleth: or, is enraged Proverbs 26:18”

“A series of proverbs which recommend the love of peace, for they present caricatures of the opposite: 17 He seizeth by the ears of a dog passing by, Who is excited by a strife which concerns him not. According to the accentuation in the text, the proverb is to be translated with Fleischer: Qualis est qui prehendit aures canis, talis est qui forte transiens ira abripitur propter rixam alienam (eique temere se immiscent). Since he is cautioned against unwarranted interference, the expression מתערב בּדין might have been used ( Pro 14:10), according to which the Syr. translates; but על־ריב substantiates the originality of מתעבּר (vid., Pro 14:16; Pro 20:2). On the other hand, the placing…”