Proverbs 15:17

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

ט֤וֹב אֲרֻחַ֣ת יָ֭רָק וְאַהֲבָה־שָׁ֑ם מִשּׁ֥וֹר אָ֝ב֗וּס וְשִׂנְאָה־בֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

Ṭôḇ ʾăruḥat yārāq wəʾahăḇāh-šām miššôr ʾāḇûs wəśinʾāh-ḇô

Grammar Details

*Ṭôḇ*: adjective, masculine singular - better/good is
*ʾăruḥat*: noun, feminine singular construct - portion/meal of
*yārāq*: noun, masculine singular - vegetables/herbs
*wəʾahăḇāh*: conjunction + noun, feminine singular - and love
*šām*: adverb - there
*miššôr*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - than ox/bull
*ʾāḇûs*: qal passive participle, masculine singular - fattened/stalled
*wəśinʾāh*: conjunction + noun, feminine singular - and hatred
*ḇô*: preposition + 3rd masculine singular suffix - with it

Word Meanings

*Ṭôḇ ʾăruḥat yārāq*: better is meal of vegetables/good is dinner of herbs
*wəʾahăḇāh-šām*: and love there/with love present
*miššôr ʾāḇûs*: than fattened ox/than stalled bull
*wəśinʾāh-ḇô*: and hatred with it/with animosity present

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

ESVNIVCSBNLTNASBNET

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 17:1 : 1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
Prov 21:19 : 19 It is better to dwell in a desert land, Than with a contentious and fretful woman.
Matt 22:4 : 4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.
Luke 15:23 : 23 and bring the fatted calf, [and] kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:
Phil 2:1 : 1 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions,
1 John 4:16 : 16 And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.
Ps 133:1-3 : 1 A Song of Ascents; of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, That ran down upon the beard, Even Aaron's beard; That came down upon the skirt of his garments; 3 Like the dew of Hermon, That cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: For there Jehovah commanded the blessing, Even life for evermore.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Prov 15:15-16
2 verses
79%
15All the days of the afflicted are evil; But he that is of a cheerful heart [hath] a continual feast.
16Better is little, with the fear of Jehovah, Than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Prov 17:1
78%
1Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
Prov 15:18
76%
18A wrathful man stirreth up contention; But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
Prov 27:4-5
2 verses
72%
4Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; But who is able to stand before jealousy?
5Better is open rebuke Than love that is hidden.
Prov 10:12
71%
12Hatred stirreth up strifes; But love covereth all transgressions.
Prov 16:8
71%
8Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.
Prov 14:29-30
2 verses
70%
29He that is slow to anger is of great understanding; But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
30A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh; But envy is the rottenness of the bones.
Prov 15:1
69%
1A soft answer turneth away wrath; But a grievous word stirreth up anger.
Prov 21:19
69%
19It is better to dwell in a desert land, Than with a contentious and fretful woman.
Prov 25:16-17
2 verses
69%
16Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbor's house, Lest he be weary of thee, and hate thee.
Prov 14:17
69%
17He that is soon angry will deal foolishly; And a man of wicked devices is hated.
Prov 25:24
69%
24It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
Prov 13:23-24
2 verses
68%
23Much food [is in] the tillage of the poor; But there is that is destroyed by reason of injustice.
24He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Prov 27:7
68%
7The full soul loatheth a honeycomb; But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
Ps 37:16
68%
16Better is a little that the righteous hath Than the abundance of many wicked.
Prov 23:6-7
2 verses
68%
6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, Neither desire thou his dainties:
7For as he thinketh within himself, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.
Prov 21:14
68%
14A gift in secret pacifieth anger; And a present in the bosom, strong wrath.
Prov 15:27
68%
27He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; But he that hateth bribes shall live.
Prov 21:9
67%
9It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
Prov 17:19
67%
19He loveth transgression that loveth strife: He that raiseth high his gate seeketh destruction.
Eccl 4:6
67%
6Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
Prov 17:14
67%
14The beginning of strife is [as] when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.
Prov 17:9
67%
9He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends.
Prov 14:4
66%
4Where no oxen are, the crib is clean; But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Prov 19:22
66%
22That which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness; And a poor man is better than a liar.
Ps 69:31
66%
31And it will please Jehovah better than an ox, [Or] a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
Prov 19:1
66%
1Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
Prov 17:17
66%
17A friend loveth at all times; And a brother is born for adversity.
Prov 25:21-22
2 verses
66%
21If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And Jehovah will reward thee.
Eccl 7:2-3
2 verses
66%
2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
Prov 23:3
66%
3Be not desirous of his dainties; Seeing they are deceitful food.
Rom 12:20
66%
20But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
Prov 16:19
66%
19Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Prov 28:25
66%
25He that is of a greedy spirit stirreth up strife; But he that putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be made fat.
Prov 16:16
66%
16How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.
Prov 16:32
66%
32He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.
Prov 22:1
66%
1A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches, [And] loving favor rather than silver and gold.
Prov 13:2
66%
2A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth; But the soul of the treacherous [shall eat] violence.
Eccl 7:5
66%
5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Prov 18:21
66%
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Prov 12:9
65%
9Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant, Than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread.
Prov 8:13
65%
13The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.