Proverbs 11:22 kjv
As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
Proverbs 11:22 nkjv
As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.
Proverbs 11:22 niv
Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
Proverbs 11:22 esv
Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.
Proverbs 11:22 nlt
A beautiful woman who lacks discretion
is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.
Proverbs 11 22 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
1 Sam 16:7 | "But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature...For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”" | God values the heart over outward appearance. |
Prov 31:30 | "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." | External charm/beauty is fleeting, inner character is valuable. |
1 Pet 3:3-4 | "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold ornaments...but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit." | Emphasis on inner beauty over outward adornment. |
Prov 6:25 | "Do not desire her beauty in your heart, nor let her capture you with her eyelids." | Warning against being swayed by mere physical beauty. |
Prov 11:1 | "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight." | Highlights a theme of misplaced value/dishonesty. |
Prov 11:15 | "Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer..." | Lack of discretion can lead to harmful outcomes. |
Prov 11:16 | "A gracious woman gets honor, and violent men get riches." | Contrast between character-driven reward and brute force. |
Prov 11:2 | "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom." | Folly often linked to a lack of wisdom and discretion. |
Prov 12:4 | "A worthy wife is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful woman is as rottenness in his bones." | Character determines worth, disgrace brings decay. |
Prov 14:1 | "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." | Discretion leads to construction, folly to destruction. |
Prov 17:16 | "Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom, when he has no mind to learn?" | Wisdom cannot be bought, only sought by a discerning heart. |
Prov 17:28 | "Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is thought intelligent." | Silence can mask a lack of discretion, but it remains. |
Prov 20:20 | "If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness." | Emphasizes righteous conduct. |
Prov 23:9 | "Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words." | Foolishness renders wisdom meaningless to them. |
Eccl 3:19 | "For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same: as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts." | Beasts here serve as an image for base existence. |
Matt 7:6 | "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." | Illustrates putting valuable things in an improper context. |
2 Pet 2:22 | "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire." | Highlights the inherent nature of pigs returning to filth. |
Jer 9:23-24 | "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom... but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me..." | True boast is in knowledge of God, not superficial qualities. |
1 Cor 13:1 | "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." | A stark contrast where external gift lacks internal character (love). |
Phil 4:8 | "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." | Encourages focusing on virtues beyond mere aesthetics. |
Titus 2:3-5 | Instructions for older women to teach younger women discretion and other virtues. | Explicit teaching on the importance of discretion in women's roles. |
Proverbs 11 verses
Proverbs 11 22 Meaning
Proverbs 11:22 declares that physical beauty without discretion or good sense is fundamentally misplaced and offensive, akin to an expensive and beautiful gold ring incongruously adorning a pig's snout. It signifies a profound disconnect between outward appearance and inner character, where valuable external features are cheapened or rendered grotesque by a lack of wisdom and moral judgment.
Proverbs 11 22 Context
Proverbs chapter 11 primarily focuses on contrasting the righteous and the wicked, or wisdom and folly, through a series of pithy statements. It highlights the outcomes and consequences of different ways of living. The verse 11:22 is a vivid illustration of this broader theme, specifically applying it to the incongruity of external beauty (a good thing in itself) divorced from internal character (wisdom and discretion). Within the flow of the chapter, it emphasizes that genuine worth lies not in superficial attributes but in integrity, righteousness, and sound judgment. Historically, in ancient Israel, beauty was appreciated, but true value was consistently linked to the fear of the Lord, obedience, and moral character, setting it apart from cultures that might excessively venerate physical appearance.
Proverbs 11 22 Word analysis
Like (כְּ): Introduces a simile, drawing a direct comparison to illustrate a truth.
a gold (זָהָב - zahav): Signifies high value, preciousness, beauty, and often luxury. Gold was highly prized as a material for adornment and wealth.
ring (נֶזֶם - nezem): A common ornament, typically for the nose or ear in the ancient Near East. A nose ring, often large and conspicuous, would further highlight its presence. Its placement suggests intimacy with the person.
in a pig’s (חֲזִיר - chazîr): The pig was an unclean animal in Israelite law (Lev 11:7, Deut 14:8). Its very presence defiles. It was seen as foul, coarse, and associated with filth.
snout (אַפּוֹ - ap̄pō "its nose" or "its anger/face"): The pig's nose, a part that digs in dirt and mire. This specifically grotesque placement amplifies the unsuitability and defilement.
is a beautiful (יָפָה - yaphah): Denotes physical attractiveness, pleasing to the eye. This is initially a positive quality.
woman (אִשָּׁה - ishah): A female person, the subject of the comparison.
who shows no discretion (וְסָרַת טָעַם - wə-sārāt ṭaʿam): This is the crucial part.
- וְסָרַת (wə-sārāt): "And turned away," "deprived of," or "lacks." It implies a missing or absent quality.
- טָעַם (ṭaʿam): Primarily means "taste" or "flavor." By extension, it signifies sense, discernment, judgment, reason, good taste, or discretion. It implies a moral and intellectual sense of what is appropriate and wise. To lack ṭaʿam means to lack good judgment, decorum, practical wisdom, or a refined moral sensibility. It points to a coarseness of character or a lack of insight into one's actions.
Words-group analysis:
- "A gold ring in a pig's snout": This imagery is a potent juxtaposition of extreme value and extreme defilement/inappropriateness. The beauty and worth of the gold are completely wasted and even degraded by its repulsive setting. The shock value lies in placing something sacred or precious into an unholy or grotesque context, rendering it profane.
- "A beautiful woman who shows no discretion": This phrase completes the analogy. The woman's external beauty, like the gold ring, is a positive attribute. However, her lack of ṭaʿam (discretion, judgment, moral sensibility) renders her, internally, like the pig. Her external appeal is undercut by her repulsive internal character, making her beautiful appearance an ironic and regrettable sight.
Proverbs 11 22 Bonus section
- The stark contrast of gold (a symbol of divine holiness and purity in the Tabernacle/Temple) with a pig (symbolizing impurity and worldliness) underscores the spiritual dimension of the proverb beyond mere social aesthetics.
- The use of ṭaʿam (discretion/taste) often connects to one's moral sensibility and awareness of what is fitting and right in God's eyes. It suggests that indiscretion isn't merely clumsiness but a failure of moral judgment.
- This proverb serves as a powerful reminder against superficiality, which remains relevant in any culture that prioritizes outward appearance over inner virtue.
Proverbs 11 22 Commentary
Proverbs 11:22 paints a powerful, somewhat shocking, word picture designed to highlight a fundamental truth about human character: outward appearances, no matter how appealing, are of little value when devoid of inner wisdom and moral discernment. The comparison between a valuable gold ring and a defiled pig's snout underscores a deep sense of incongruity and wasted potential. A gold ring, a symbol of wealth and beauty, adorning an animal that was both physically repulsive and ceremonially unclean to the Israelite audience, immediately conveys disgust and misplacement.
Similarly, a physically beautiful woman who lacks discretion – good judgment, wisdom, moral sense – becomes repellent. Her physical attractiveness cannot compensate for her foolish words, unwise decisions, or morally unbridled behavior. The verse suggests that such a woman's beauty is not merely wasted, but actively diminished and even made distasteful by her indiscretion. True beauty, according to the proverb, emanates from a sound mind and character, influencing how one speaks, acts, and relates to others. Without this inner foundation, outward beauty becomes merely superficial, akin to painting a broken vessel. It serves as a stern reminder that character is paramount, far outweighing transient physical attributes in matters of true worth and lasting honor.