Proverbs 12 · Verse 9

Proverbs 12:9

He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

Proverbs 12:9, King James Version

Proverbs 12:9 in other translations

BSB	Better to be lightly esteemed yet have a servant, than to be self-important but lack food.
WEB	Better is he who is little known, and has a servant, than he who honors himself and lacks bread.
ASV	Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant, Than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread.
YLT	Better is the lightly esteemed who hath a servant, Than the self-honoured who lacketh bread.
DARBY	Better is he that is lightly esteemed, and hath a servant, than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
BBE	He who is of low position and has a servant, is better than one who has a high opinion of himself and is in need of bread.
Webster	He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoreth himself, and is destitute of bread.

What does Proverbs 12:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

9. despised--held in little repute, obscure (1Sa 18:23; Is 3:5). hath a servant--implying some means of honest living. honoureth himself--is self-conceited.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 9 He that is despised, and hath a servant - I believe the Vulgate gives the true sense of this verse: Melior est pauper, et sufficiens sibi; quam gloriosus, et indigens pane. "Better is the poor man who provides for himself, than the proud who is destitute of bread." The versions in general agree in this sense. This needs no comment. There are some who, through pride of birth, etc., would rather starve, than put their hands to menial labor. Though they may be lords, how much to be preferred is the simple peasant, who supports himself and family by the drudgery of life!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

He that lives in a humble state, who has no one to wait upon him, but gets bread by his own labour, is happier than he that glories in high birth or gay attire, and wants necessaries.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 12:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ט֣וֹבTov[is] goodH2896

נִ֭קְלֶהNik.leha lightly esteemed [person]H7034

וְעֶ֣בֶדve.'E.vedand a servantH5650

ל֑וֹlo[belongs] to him

מִ֝מְּתַכַּבֵּ֗דmi.me.tak.ka.Bedmore than [one who] honors himselfH3513

וַחֲסַר\־va.cha.sar-and [one] lacking ofH2638

לָֽחֶם\׃La.chemfoodH3899

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 12:9

Luke 14:11
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Proverbs 13:7
There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

He that is, etc.Or, rather, as in the old translation "He that is despised, and is his own servant, is better than he that boasteth himself and wanteth bread;" with which the versions generally agree. That is, it is better to be in lowness and obscurity, and to support oneself by manual labour, than to want the necessaries of life, through a foolish vanity, or the pride of birth, which refuses to labour.
despised.
13:7; Lu 14:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Proverbs 12:8
A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
Proverbs 12:9
He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

Read all of Proverbs 12

Proverbs 12:9 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mejor es el que es menospreciado y tiene servidores, que el que se precia, y carece de pan.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Mieux vaut celui qui est d’humble condition, et qui a un serviteur, que celui qui fait l’important et qui manque de pain.
German Elberfelder 1871	Besser, wer gering ist und einen Knecht hat, als wer vornehm tut und hat Mangel an Brot.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Melior est pauper et sufficiens sibi quam gloriosus et indigens pane.