Proverbs 15:17 (ASV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil; But he that is of a cheerful heart [hath] a continual feast.

Proverbs 15:16 Better is little, with the fear of Jehovah, Than great treasure and trouble therewith.

Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, Than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up contention; But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns; But the path of the upright is made a highway.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "better", "dinner", "herbs", "where", "love", "than", "stalled", and "hatred". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "better" and "dinner", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "Better is little with the fear of..." into verse 18's "A wrathful man stirreth up contention But...", so "better" and "dinner" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "better" and "dinner" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.