The Meaning of Proverbs 3:15 Explained

Proverbs 3:15

KJV: She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

YLT: Precious she is above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.

Darby: She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not equal unto her.

ASV: She is more precious than rubies: And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

She [is] more precious  than rubies:  and all the things thou canst desire  are not to be compared  unto her. 

What does Proverbs 3:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 3:13-26 - Wisdom's Ways Of Pleasantness
Wisdom is susceptible of cultivation. It is a mine that needs to be worked with patient toil. Compare Proverbs 3:13-15 with Job 28:18. It is comparable to a noble woman, who approaches us with full-handed beneficence, Proverbs 3:16-17. It may be described as a tree, requiring careful tendance and bearing fruit for the patient cultivator, Proverbs 3:18. And we may turn from our own little lives to see the mighty results of divine wisdom in Creation and Providence. We are made in the image of God, our minds are able to appreciate His mind, and we think over again, as Kepler said, the thoughts of God, Proverbs 3:19-20.
Learn the security of the life which is built on the eternal principles of this book. It has no fear. Its repose is unbroken by alarm. It is at peace with itself, with man, and with God. This is not the result of our calculating prudence, but because we exercise ourselves to have consciences void of offense toward God and man; and because the God of patience, of hope, and of peace is with us. See Romans 15:5; Romans 15:13; Romans 15:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 3

1  various exhortations
13  The gain of wisdom
27  Exhortation to goodness
33  the different state of the wicked and upright

What do the individual words in Proverbs 3:15 mean?

More precious she [is] - than rubies and all the [things] you may desire cannot compare with her
יְקָ֣רָה הִ֭יא [מפניים] (מִפְּנִינִ֑ים) וְכָל־ חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִֽשְׁווּ־ בָֽהּ

יְקָ֣רָה  More  precious 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: יְקִפָּאֹון 
Sense: valuable, prized, weighty, precious, rare, splendid.
הִ֭יא  she  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
[מפניים]  - 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural
(מִפְּנִינִ֑ים)  than  rubies 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural
Root: פְּנִיּיִם 
Sense: a precious stone.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
חֲ֝פָצֶ֗יךָ  the  [things]  you  may  desire 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֵפֶץ  
Sense: delight, pleasure.
לֹ֣א  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִֽשְׁווּ־  compare 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁוָה 
Sense: to agree with, be or become like, level, resemble.
בָֽהּ  with  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular