Proverbs 22 · Verse 29

Proverbs 22:29

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Proverbs 22:29, King James Version

Proverbs 22:29 in other translations

BSBDo you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
WEBDo you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.
ASVSeest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.
YLTHast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
DARBYHast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
BBEHave you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings; his place will not be among low persons.
WebsterSeest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

What does Proverbs 22:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
29. Success rewards diligence (Pr 10:4; 21:5).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 29 He shalt not stand before mean men - חשכים chashukkim, dark or obscure persons; men of no repute. Na he schal ben before un-noble men - Old MS. Bible. "Not amonge the symple people." - Coverdale. The general meaning of the proverb is, "Every diligent, active man, shall be at once independent and respectable."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Proverbs 22:29 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.

חָזִ֡יתָcha.Zi.tayou seeH2372
אִ֤ישׁ\׀'isha personH376
מָ֘הִ֤ירma.HirskilledH4106
בִּמְלַאכְתּ֗וֹbim.lakh.Toin work hisH4399
לִֽפְנֵֽי\־lif.nei-<to> beforeH6440
מְלָכִ֥יםme.la.KhimkingsH4428
יִתְיַצָּ֑בyit.ya.Tzavhe will take his standH3320
בַּל\־bal-notH1077
יִ֝תְיַצֵּבYit.ya.tzevhe will take his standH3320
לִפְנֵ֥יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440
חֲשֻׁכִּֽים\׃\ \פcha.shu.Kiminsignificant [people]H2823

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

Cross references for Proverbs 22:29

  • 1 Kings 11:28

    And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

  • Matthew 25:21

    His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

  • Proverbs 12:24

    The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

  • Proverbs 10:4

    He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

  • Matthew 25:23

    His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:10

    Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

  • Genesis 41:46

    And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

  • Romans 12:11

    Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

  • 1 Kings 10:8

    Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

  • 2 Timothy 4:2

    Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a man.
10:4; 12:24; 1Ki 11:28; Ec 9:10; Mt 25:21,23; Ro 12:11; 2Ti 4:2
he shall stand.That is, he shall have the honour of serving kings; as the phrase denotes.
mean men. Heb. obscure men.

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

Context

  • Proverbs 22:28

    Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

  • Proverbs 22:29

    Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

Read all of Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22:29 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
¿Has visto hombre solícito en su obra? delante de los reyes estará; no estará delante de los de baja suerte.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
As-tu vu un homme diligent dans son travail? il se tiendra devant les rois, il ne se tiendra pas devant des gens obscurs.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Siehst du einen Mann, der gewandt ist in seinem Geschäft-vor Königen wird er stehen, er wird nicht vor Niedrigen stehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Vidisti virum velocem in opere suo? coram regibus stabit, nec erit ante ignobiles.