Verses 5 and 6 share a common Hebrew root rendered “love” and “friend” and both underline the importance of honesty in relationships. Verse 5 has the form “A is better than B.”

“Better is open rebuke”: An “open rebuke” refers to correcting someone’s behavior frankly and honestly.

“Than hidden love”: “Hidden” is literally “that has been concealed.” Interpreters differ in their understanding of what this may mean. However, the best understanding seems to be love or friendship that someone fails to express openly. Good News Translation “let him think that you don’t care for him” expresses this thought. For the whole verse Bible en français courant says “A frank criticism is worth more than a friendship that is not demonstrated.” We may also translate, for example, “It is better to correct someone openly than to hide your love for them.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .