Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageGold exists, and precious stones are plentiful — but lips that speak with true knowledge are rarer than any gem.
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GGold there is, and an abundance of rubies, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare treasure.
KJV
King James VersionThere is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
BSB
Berean Standard BibleThere is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
Footnotes
*Peninim* is debated — traditionally 'rubies,' 'corals,' or 'pearls'; the precise gem is uncertain, but its rarity and value drive the comparison. *Keli yakar* = 'a precious vessel / a rare thing' — what the lips of knowledge are likened to. The wisdom tradition consistently prizes wisdom above material wealth (cf. Prov. 3:13–15; 8:10–11). The proverb inverts the marketplace hierarchy: the rarest commodity is not a gem but a tongue shaped by knowledge. FOG uses 'rubies' for traditional resonance; FOG Message uses 'precious stones' to remain open to the semantic range of *peninim*.