Proverbs 15:16–17
Better a little with fear of YHWH, and a dish of vegetables where there is love
Study it word by word16Better is a little with the fear of YHWH than great treasure and turmoil with it.
17Better is a ration of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox and hatred with it.
In its context
14The heart of the discerning seeks knowledge, but the mouth of the senseless feeds on folly.
15All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the good of heart has a continual feast.
…
18A man of wrath stirs up strife, but one who is slow to anger calms a dispute.
19The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.
Its words in the original
- טוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".
- מְעַטmeat· little, few
A little; few.
- יִרְאַתyirat· fear
Fear. "The fear of God" is deep reverence that leads one to obey him and avoid evil.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אוֹצָרotsar· treasure, storehouse
A treasure, or a storehouse where something valuable is kept.
- רָבrav· many, great
Many, much, abundant, great; also "elder" or "chief".
- מְהוּמָהmehuma· confusion, panic
Confusion: disorder and panic that make an army flee.
- אֲרֻחַתaruchat· allowance, ration
Allowance: the portion of food given to someone for each day (2 Kings 25:30; Jeremiah 40:5). In Proverbs 15:17, a simple dish of vegetables.
- יָרָקyarak· vegetable, herb
Vegetable, green plant.
- אַהֲבָהahava· love
Love: the affection that joins one person to another; also the love of YHWH for his people.
- שּׁוֹרshor· ox, bull
Ox or bull: a head of cattle.
- אָבוּסavus· fatten
Fatten: feed an animal well so that it grows fat. As a participle, "fattened."
- שִׂנְאָהsina· hatred
Hatred.