The Meaning of Proverbs 20:15 Explained

Proverbs 20:15

KJV: There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

YLT: Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, are lips of knowledge.

Darby: There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel.

ASV: There is gold, and abundance of rubies; But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

There is  gold,  and a multitude  of rubies:  but the lips  of knowledge  [are] a precious  jewel. 

What does Proverbs 20:15 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 20:1-15 - Sobriety Industry Honesty
Strong drink is the greatest of all foes to human happiness. It gains an influence over men by fair promises, but when once it is entrenched, it mocks at the misery of its abject slave. It promises strength for the arm, joy for the heart, brilliance for the mind; but those fair promises are not kept, and the end is impotence, misery, and imbecility. Let each reader of these words henceforth utterly abjure it!
The sluggard is depicted throughout this book to stir us to diligent industry. After all, it is not by great gifts but by patient persistence that men succeed. Indeed, the highest genius is left behind by the careful plodder, if the one lacks and the other possesses this invaluable quality. "Diligent in business, serving the Lord."
All our life lies open to the eye of God. He is closely acquainted with the transactions of the bank, the office, the ledger, and the weights in the store. No lapse from perfect honesty escapes his notice; and for every act of deception there is an inevitable Nemesis. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 20

1  Proper Living

What do the individual words in Proverbs 20:15 mean?

There is gold and a multitude of rubies but [are] a jewel Precious the lips of knowledge
יֵ֣שׁ זָ֭הָב וְרָב־ פְּנִינִ֑ים וּכְלִ֥י יְ֝קָ֗ר שִׂפְתֵי־ דָֽעַת

יֵ֣שׁ  There  is 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
זָ֭הָב  gold 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
וְרָב־  and  a  multitude 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
פְּנִינִ֑ים  of  rubies 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: פְּנִיּיִם 
Sense: a precious stone.
וּכְלִ֥י  but  [are]  a  jewel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
יְ֝קָ֗ר  Precious 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְקָר  
Sense: price, value, preciousness, honour, splendour, pomp.
שִׂפְתֵי־  the  lips 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
דָֽעַת  of  knowledge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דַּעַת 
Sense: knowledge.