Proverbs 15:16 (WEB)

Passage

Better is little, with the fear of Yahweh, than great treasure with trouble.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:14 The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are wretched, but one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.

Proverbs 15:16 Better is little, with the fear of Yahweh, than great treasure with trouble.

Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.

Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "better", "little", "fear", "yahweh", "than", "great", "treasure", and "trouble". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "better" and "little", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "All the days of the afflicted are..." into verse 17's "Better is a dinner of herbs where...", so "better" and "little" 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 "little" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.