Proverbs 15:17
New International Version
Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.

New Living Translation
A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.

English Standard Version
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

Berean Standard Bible
Better a dish of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.

King James Bible
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

New King James Version
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred.

New American Standard Bible
Better is a portion of vegetables where there is love, Than a fattened ox served with hatred.

NASB 1995
Better is a dish of vegetables where love is Than a fattened ox served with hatred.

NASB 1977
Better is a dish of vegetables where love is, Than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

Legacy Standard Bible
Better is a dish of vegetables where there is love Than a fattened ox and hatred in it.

Amplified Bible
Better is a dinner of vegetables and herbs where love is present Than a fattened ox served with hatred.

Christian Standard Bible
Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.

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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Better is a meal of vegetables and the love of The Name, than Fattened oxen with hatred.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Better is an entertainment of herbs with friendliness and kindness, than a feast of calves, with enmity.

Contemporary English Version
A simple meal with love is better than a feast where there is hatred.

Douay-Rheims Bible
It is better to be invited to herbs with love, than to a fatted calf with hatred.

English Revised Version
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Better to have a dish of vegetables where there is love than juicy steaks where there is hate.

Good News Translation
Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate.

International Standard Version
A vegetarian meal served with love is better than a big, thick steak with a plateful of animosity.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Literal Standard Version
Better [is] an allowance of green herbs and love there, | Than a fatted ox, and hatred with it.

Majority Standard Bible
Better a dish of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.

New American Bible
Better a dish of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.

NET Bible
Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox where there is hatred.

New Revised Standard Version
Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.

New Heart English Bible
Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.

Webster's Bible Translation
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred with it.

World English Bible
Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.

Young's Literal Translation
Better is an allowance of green herbs and love there, Than a fatted ox, and hatred with it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Gentle Answer Turns Away Wrath
16Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil. 17Better a dish of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred. 18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.…

Cross References
Matthew 22:4
Again, he sent other servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

Luke 15:23
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate.

Proverbs 17:1
Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.

Ecclesiastes 4:6
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.


Treasury of Scripture

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

Proverbs 17:1
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

Proverbs 21:19
It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

Psalm 133:1
A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Jump to Previous
Allowance Better Calf Dinner Dish Fat Fatted Fattened Green Hate Hatred Herbs Love Meal Ox Served Simple Therewith Vegetables
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Allowance Better Calf Dinner Dish Fat Fatted Fattened Green Hate Hatred Herbs Love Meal Ox Served Simple Therewith Vegetables
Proverbs 15
1. A gentle answer turns away wrath














Verse 17. - Better is a dinner (portion) of herbs where love is. A dish of vegetables would be the common meal, whereas flesh would be reserved for festive occasions. Where love presides, the simplest food is cheerfully received, and contentment and happiness abound (Proverbs 17:1). Lesetre quotes Horace's invitation to his friend Torquatus ('Epist.,' 1:5. 1) -

"Si potes Archiacis conviva recumbere lectis,
Nec modica cenare times olus omne patella,
Supreme te sole domi, Torquate, manebo."


"If, dear Torquatus, you can rest your head
On couches such as homely Archias made,
Nor on a dish of simple pot herbs frown,
I shall expect you as the sun goes down."


(Howes.) So the old jingle -

"Cum dat oluscula menes minuscula pace quieta,
Ne pete grandia lautaque prandia lite repleta."
A stalled ox is one taken up out of the pasture and fatted for the table. Thus we read (1 Kings 4:23) that part of Solomon's provision for one day was ten fat oxen and twenty oxen out of the pastures; and the prophets speak of "calves of the stall" (Amos 6:4; Malachi 4:2; comp. Luke 15:23). The fat beef implies a sumptuous and magnificent entertainment; but such a feast is little worth if accompanied with feelings of hatred, jealousy, and ill will. This and the preceding verse emphasize and explain ver. 15.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Better
ט֤וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

a dish
אֲרֻחַ֣ת (’ă·ru·ḥaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 737: A meal, allowance

of vegetables
יָ֭רָק (yā·rāq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3419: Green, a vegetable

where
שָׁ֑ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

there is love
וְאַהֲבָה־ (wə·’a·hă·ḇāh-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 160: Love (noun)

than a fattened
אָ֝ב֗וּס (’ā·ḇūs)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 75: To feed, fatten

ox
מִשּׁ֥וֹר (miš·šō·wr)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7794: A head of cattle (bullock, ox, etcetera)

with hatred.
וְשִׂנְאָה־ (wə·śin·’āh-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8135: Hating, hatred


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 15:16
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