Logos Bible Study

Proverbs 3:14–15

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3:14For her38 benefit39 is more profitable40 than silver,

and her41 gain42 is better43 than gold.

3:15She is more precious than rubies,

and none of the things44 you desire45 can compare46 with her.47

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Footnotes

  1. 38 Heb “her profit.” The 3rd person feminine singular suffix on the noun is probably a genitive of source: “from her.”
  2. 39 Heb “profit.” The noun סַחַר (sakhar, “trading profit”) often refers to the financial profit of traveling merchants (Isa 23:3, 18; 45:14; ). The related participle describes a traveling “trader, dealer, wholesaler, merchant” (e.g., Gen 37:28; Prov 31:14; Isa 23:2; Ezek 27:36; סחר qal.2). Here the noun is used figuratively to describe the moral benefit of wisdom.
  3. 40 The noun סַחַר (“profit”) is repeated in this line for emphasis. The two usages draw upon slightly different nuances, creating a polysemantic wordplay. The moral “benefit” of wisdom is more “profitable” than silver.
  4. 41 Heb “her yield.” The 3rd person feminine singular suffix on the noun is probably a genitive of source: “from her.”
  5. 42 Heb “yield.” The noun תְּבוּאָה (tévu’ah, “product; yield”) is normally used of crops and harvests ( 100 1). Here it is figurative for the moral benefit of wisdom ( 100 2.b).
  6. 43 The phrase “is better” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the parallelism; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.
  7. 44 Heb “all of your desires cannot compare with her.”
  8. 45 Heb “your desires.” The 2nd person masculine singular suffix on the noun probably functions as subjective genitive.
  9. 46 The imperfect tense verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish be like; to resemble”) has a potential nuance here: “can be compared with.”
  10. 47 Heb “All of your desires do not compare with her.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

for the gain from her is better than gain from silver

and her profit better than gold.

She is more precious than jewels,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

for she is more profitable than silver

and yields better returns than gold.

She is more precious than rubies;

nothing you desire can compare with her.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

for she is more profitable than silver,

and her revenue is better than gold.

She is more precious than jewels;

nothing you desire can equal her.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

For wisdom is more profitable than silver,

and her wages are better than gold.

Wisdom is more precious than rubies;

nothing you desire can compare with her.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For her income is better than the income of silver,

and her revenue than that of gold.

She is more precious than rubies,

and all your desires shall not compare with her.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver,

And the gain thereof than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies:

And all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

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