Proverbs 27:5 (YLT)

Passage

Better <FI>is<Fi> open reproof than hidden love.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 27:3 A stone <FI>is<Fi> heavy, and the sand <FI>is<Fi> heavy, And the anger of a fool Is heavier than they both.

Proverbs 27:4 Fury <FI>is<Fi> fierce, and anger <FI>is<Fi> overflowing, And who standeth before jealousy?

Proverbs 27:5 Better <FI>is<Fi> open reproof than hidden love.

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.

Proverbs 27:7 A satiated soul treadeth down a honeycomb, And <FI>to<Fi> a hungry soul every bitter thing <FI>is<Fi> sweet.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "Fury FI is Fi fierce and anger..." into verse 6's "Faithful are the wounds of a lover...", so "better" and "open" 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 "open" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.