Proverbs 11:22
Proverbs 11:22 in Multiple Translations
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a fair woman that is without discretion.
Like a ring of gold in the nose of a pig, is a beautiful woman who has no sense.
A beautiful woman who lacks good judgment is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.
As a iewell of golde in a swines snoute: so is a faire woman, which lacketh discretion.
A ring of gold in the nose of a sow — A fair woman and stubborn of behaviour.
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman who is without discretion.
A golden ring in a swine’s snout, a woman fair and foolish.
It is ◄unsuitable/not proper/disgusting► for a beautiful woman not to know what is right to do, like [SIM] it is unsuitable/disgusting for a pig to have a gold ring in its snout/nose.
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 11:22
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Proverbs 11:22 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
נֶ֣זֶם
זָ֭הָב
בְּ/אַ֣ף
חֲזִ֑יר
אִשָּׁ֥ה
יָ֝פָ֗ה
וְ/סָ֣רַת
טָֽעַם
נֶ֣זֶם
nezem
H5141
ring
N-ms
זָ֭הָב
zâhâb
H2091
gold
N-ms
בְּ/אַ֣ף
ʼaph
H639
face
Prep | N-ms
חֲזִ֑יר
chăzîyr
H2386
swine
N-ms
אִשָּׁ֥ה
ʼishshâh
H802
woman
N-fs
יָ֝פָ֗ה
yâpheh
H3303
beautiful
Adj
וְ/סָ֣רַת
çûwr
H5493
to turn aside
Conj | V-Qal
טָֽעַם
ṭaʻam
H2940
taste
N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 11:22
נֶ֣זֶם
nezem
H5141
"ring"
N-ms
A nose-ring or earring, this word describes a piece of jewelry worn by both men and women in biblical times. In Isaiah 3:21, it is listed as one of the extravagant items that will be lost. The word is also used in Genesis 24:22 to describe a gift given to Rebekah.
Definition: 1) ring, nose ring, earring 1a) nose ring (woman's ornament) 1b) earring (ornament of men or women)
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: earring, jewel. See also: Genesis 24:22; Judges 8:25; Proverbs 11:22.
זָ֭הָב
zâhâb
H2091
"gold"
N-ms
Gold is a valuable metal, also used to describe something yellow or brilliant, like oil or a clear sky. It is often mentioned in the Bible as a precious resource.
Definition: 1) gold 1a) as precious metal 1b) as a measure of weight 1c) of brilliance, splendour (fig.) Aramaic equivalent: de.hav (דְּהַב "gold" H1722)
Usage: Occurs in 336 OT verses. KJV: gold(-en), fair weather. See also: Genesis 2:11; Numbers 7:26; 1 Chronicles 28:17.
בְּ/אַ֣ף
ʼaph
H639
"face"
Prep | N-ms
This Hebrew word can mean face, but also anger or nose. It is used to describe someone's countenance or emotions, like anger or patience. In the Bible, it appears in various contexts, including descriptions of God's emotions.
Definition: : face 1) nostril, nose, face 2) anger
Usage: Occurs in 269 OT verses. KJV: anger(-gry), [phrase] before, countenance, face, [phrase] forebearing, forehead, [phrase] (long-) suffering, nose, nostril, snout, [idiom] worthy, wrath. See also: Genesis 2:7; Nehemiah 8:6; Psalms 2:5.
חֲזִ֑יר
chăzîyr
H2386
"swine"
N-ms
Chazir refers to swine, including hogs, boars, and wild boars. In the Bible, swine were considered forbidden food for the Israelites.
Definition: 1) hog, swine, boar 1a) swine (as forbidden food) 1b) wild boar
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: boar, swine. See also: Leviticus 11:7; Proverbs 11:22; Psalms 80:14.
אִשָּׁ֥ה
ʼishshâh
H802
"woman"
N-fs
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Definition: : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. See also: Genesis 2:22; Genesis 34:4; Numbers 5:12.
יָ֝פָ֗ה
yâpheh
H3303
"beautiful"
Adj
Beautiful things in the Bible are described as fair, lovely, and pleasant, as seen in the Song of Solomon, which celebrates the beauty of love and relationships. The term is used to describe people, places, and things that bring joy and delight.
Definition: fair, beautiful, handsome
Usage: Occurs in 39 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] beautiful, beauty, comely, fair(-est, one), [phrase] goodly, pleasant, well. See also: Genesis 12:11; Proverbs 11:22; Psalms 48:3.
וְ/סָ֣רַת
çûwr
H5493
"to turn aside"
Conj | V-Qal
To turn aside or remove is the meaning of this verb, used in various forms throughout the Bible. It can mean to depart, avoid, or put something away, and is often used in the context of turning away from sin or wrongdoing, as seen in the actions of prophets and leaders in the Old Testament.
Definition: : remove 1) to turn aside, depart 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto 1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid 1a3) to be removed 1a4) to come to an end 1b) (Polel) to turn aside 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose 1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish 1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed
Usage: Occurs in 284 OT verses. KJV: be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), [idiom] grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, [idiom] be sour, take (away, off), turn (aside, away, in), withdraw, be without. See also: Genesis 8:13; 2 Samuel 6:10; Psalms 6:9.
טָֽעַם
ṭaʻam
H2940
"taste"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means to have a taste or perception of something, and is often used to describe judgment or intelligence. It appears in Proverbs 1:7, where wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. In the Bible, it can also mean a decree or decision.
Definition: 1) taste, judgment 1a) taste 1b) judgment (fig.) 1c) decision, decree
Usage: Occurs in 12 OT verses. KJV: advice, behaviour, decree, discretion, judgment, reason, taste, understanding. See also: Exodus 16:31; Psalms 34:1; Psalms 119:66.
Study Notes — Proverbs 11:22
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 11:22 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 11:22
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 11:22
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
- Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
- Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 11:22
- Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 11:22
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
- Sermons on Proverbs 11:22
Context — Dishonest Scales
20The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
21Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
23The desire of the righteous leads only to good, but the hope of the wicked brings wrath. 24One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Peter 3:3–4 | Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. |
| 2 | Proverbs 31:30 | Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. |
| 3 | Nahum 3:4–6 | because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft. “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms. I will pelt you with filth and treat you with contempt; I will make a spectacle of you. |
| 4 | Proverbs 9:13 | The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing. |
| 5 | Proverbs 7:10 | Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart. |
| 6 | 2 Peter 2:22 | Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” |
| 7 | Genesis 24:47 | Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. |
| 8 | Ezekiel 16:15–22 | But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking. You took some of your garments and made colorful high places for yourself, and on them you prostituted yourself. Such things should not have happened; never should they have occurred! You also took the fine jewelry of gold and silver I had given you, and you made male idols with which to prostitute yourself. You took your embroidered garments to cover them, and you set My oil and incense before them. And you set before them as a pleasing aroma the food I had given you—the fine flour, oil, and honey that I had fed you. That is what happened, declares the Lord GOD. You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough? You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols. And in all your abominations and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your own blood. |
Proverbs 11:22 Summary
This verse is saying that a beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a valuable gold ring in a pig's snout - it's a waste of something precious. Discretion means being thoughtful and intentional in our words and actions, considering how they may impact others and glorify God. We can apply this principle in our own lives by being wise and careful in how we speak and act, as encouraged in Proverbs 10:8 and Colossians 3:17. By seeking to be discreet and wise, we can bring glory to God and avoid wasting our words and actions on foolish things, as taught in Proverbs 31:30 and 1 Timothy 2:9-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for a woman to lack discretion in Proverbs 11:22?
A woman who lacks discretion is one who acts foolishly or impulsively, without considering the consequences of her actions, as seen in the example of the gold ring in a pig's snout, which is a waste of something valuable, similar to how the Bible warns against being foolish with our words and actions in Proverbs 10:32 and Ephesians 4:29.
Is this verse suggesting that a woman's beauty is worthless without discretion?
This verse is not saying that a woman's beauty is worthless, but rather that beauty without discretion is like a valuable item being wasted, as illustrated in the metaphor of the gold ring in a pig's snout, and this idea is supported by Proverbs 31:30, which says that a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
How can I apply the principle of discretion in my own life?
You can apply the principle of discretion by being thoughtful and intentional in your words and actions, considering how they may impact others and glorify God, as encouraged in Colossians 3:17 and Proverbs 15:1.
Is discretion only important for women, according to this verse?
No, discretion is important for everyone, regardless of gender, as seen in Proverbs 10:8, which says that the wise in heart will receive commandments, and this idea is also supported by Titus 2:4-5, which instructs women to be discreet, but also applies to men in other parts of Scripture, such as Proverbs 1:7.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I may be lacking discretion, and how can I seek to be more thoughtful and intentional in those areas?
- How can I balance being confident and beautiful with being discreet and wise, as encouraged in 1 Timothy 2:9-10?
- What are some ways that I can cultivate discretion in my daily life, such as in my speech, actions, and relationships, as taught in Proverbs 12:18 and James 1:19?
- How can I use my words and actions to bring glory to God, rather than wasting them on foolish or impulsive behavior, as warned against in Proverbs 10:32 and Ephesians 4:29?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 11:22
[As] a jewel of gold in a swine's snout,.... The allusion seems to be to the ringing of swine, to prevent their rooting up the earth; which is usually done by putting an iron ring into their snout;
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 11:22
As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
As a jewel of gold in a swine’ s snout; which would not adorn the swine, but only be disparaged itself. It was the custom of some of the Jews to wear jewels upon their noses, and some of their neighbours wore them in their noses. Which is without discretion; which disgraceth the beauty of her body by a foolish and filthy soul.
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
Proverbs 11:22 [As] a jewel of gold in a swine’ s snout, [so is] a fair woman which is without discretion. Ver. 22. As a jewel of gold in a swine’ s snout.] It is a small praise, saith one, to have a good face and an evil nature. No one means, saith another, hath so enriched hell as beautiful faces. Aureliae Orestillae praeter formam nihil unquam bonus laudavit, saith Sallust. In Aurelia Orestilla there was nothing praiseworthy but her beauty. Are thou fair? saith an author; be not like an Egyptian temple, or a painted sepulchre. Art thou foul? let thy soul be like a rich pearl in a rude shell. “ Si mihi difficilis formam natura negavit: Ingenio formae damna rependo meae. ” So is a fair woman which is without discretion.] Sic dignitas in indigno est ornamentum in lute, saith Salvian. Fair and foolish ones abuse their beauty to pride and incontinence, and so give occasion to some Diogenes to say, O quam bona domus, et malus hospes - O fair house, but ill inhabitant. Sapph. ap.
Ovid.
Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
(22) As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout.—Rather, a nose-ring run through the right nostril and hanging down over the mouth; a female ornament used from the earliest times (Genesis 24:47; Isaiah 3:21; Ezekiel 16:12), and still worn in the East.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
Verse 22. A jewel of gold in a swine's snout] That is, beauty in a woman destitute of good breeding and modest carriage, is as becoming as a gold ring on the snout of a swine. Coverdale translates thus: "A fayre woman without discrete maners, is like a ringe of golde in a swyne's snoute." In Asiatic countries the nose jewel is very common: to this the text alludes.
Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 11:22
22. jewel] Rather, ring (R.V. marg.). The reference to the nosering, which Eastern women wore as an ornament, gives point to the proverb. See Genesis 24:47; Ezekiel 16:12, in both which places R.V. renders the same Heb. word, “a ring upon the nose.” discretion] Lit. taste, which would seem to indicate the innate and instinctive character of womanly purity. We have a good example of it, in the form of tact or perception, in the case of Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite, to whom David says, using the same Hebrew word, “blessed be thy advice (wisdom, R.V. text, discretion, marg.), and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness,” 1 Samuel 25:33. Comp. αἴσθησις, “delicate perception, fine tact,” Philippians 1:9, and note there in this Series.
Barnes' Notes on Proverbs 11:22
The most direct proverb, in the sense of “similitude,” which has as yet met us. Jewel of gold - Better, ring; i. e., the nose-ring Genesis 24:22, Genesis 24:47; Isaiah 3:21.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 11:22
22. A jewel… swine’s snout — There is an allusion here to the nose-ring worn by Eastern women.
Sermons on Proverbs 11:22
| Sermon | Description | |
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The Church: A Three Storey Building by Zac Poonen | This sermon emphasizes the importance of repeating key messages in the church, especially for new members and growing children. It encourages elders to prioritize repeating foundat |
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What Guys Think About Modesty by c.j. Mahaney by Compilations | This sermon addresses the daily battle against sin and temptation faced by men, emphasizing the need for women to understand and support their struggle for purity. It highlights th |
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A Call to Modesty (Compilation) by Compilations | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of living a holy and modest life. He urges the congregation to examine their lives and repent of any secret sins or hidden wr |
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(The Foundation and the Building) the Secrets of Jesus Life by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the allure of materialism and the desire to imitate the extravagant lifestyles of others. He warns against being deceived by the external appe |
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Bearing the Image of God by Steve Gallagher | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that the purpose of life is not about feelings or blessings, but about glorifying God. He shares the story of Watchman Knee, a man who endure |
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Biblical Principles of Godly Dress by Dean Taylor | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the topic of godly dress and emphasizes the importance of dressing in a way that pleases God. He acknowledges that discussing this topic may b |
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Moved by the Holy Ghost 1991 by Leonard Ravenhill | This sermon reflects on encounters with remarkable women of faith throughout the speaker's life, from Catherine Booth to a modern-day anointed woman living in simplicity and devoti |