She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
Parallel translations
- WEB She is more precious than rubies. None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her.
- KJV She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
- BSB She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.
- NASB She is more precious than jewels, And nothing you desire compares with her.
- NLT Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares to her. It matters because it ranks wisdom above every other object of desire.
Overview
Heightening the comparison of verse 14, wisdom outshines costly jewels and exceeds all that one might want. Nothing in this world rivals her worth. The believer rightly treasures wisdom above all, and supremely Christ, the pearl of great price (Matt. 13:46).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Prov 8:11For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
- Prov 31:10Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.
- Job 28:18No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal. Yes, the price of wisdom is above rubies.
- Rom 8:18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.
- Ps 73:25–26Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
- Ps 63:3Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.
- Prov 20:15There is gold and abundance of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
- Matt 13:44–46“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 3:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.