Proverbs 27:5 (LSB)

Passage

Better is reproof that is revealed Than love that is hidden.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 27:3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty, But the provocation of an ignorant fool is heavier than both of them.

Proverbs 27:4 Wrath is cruelty and anger is a flood, But who can stand before jealousy?

Proverbs 27:5 Better is reproof that is revealed Than love that is hidden.

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

Proverbs 27:7 A satisfied soul tramples the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul any bitter thing is sweet.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "better", "reproof", "revealed", "than", "love", and "hidden". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "better" and "reproof", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "Wrath is cruelty and anger is a..." into verse 6's "Faithful are the wounds of a friend...", so "better" and "reproof" 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 "reproof" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.