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Read the Bible

Amplified Bible

Proverbs 22:29

Do you see a man skillful and experienced in his work? He will stand [in honor] before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Diligence;   Industry;   The Topic Concordance - Diligence;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Order;   Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Vision;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - 37 Slow Slothful Idle;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Business;   Diligence;   Mean;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bat Ḳol;  

Parallel Translations

New Living Translation
Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.
Update Bible Version
Do you see a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.
New Century Version
Do you see people skilled in their work? They will work for kings, not for ordinary people.
New English Translation
Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will take his position before kings; he will not take his position before obscure people.
Webster's Bible Translation
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].
World English Bible
Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings; He won't serve obscure men.
English Standard Version
Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thou hast seyn a man smert in his werk; he schal stonde bifore kyngis, and he schal not be bifor vnnoble men.
English Revised Version
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Berean Standard Bible
Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
Contemporary English Version

-5-

If you do your job well, you will work for a ruler and never be a slave.
American Standard Version
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; He shall not stand before mean men.
Bible in Basic English
Have 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
Do you see a man skilled at his work? He will serve kings, not obscure people.
Darby Translation
Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
Easy-to-Read Version
Skilled workers will always serve kings. They will never have to work for less important people.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; {P}
King James Version (1611)
Seest thou a man diligent in his businesse? hee shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before meane men.
New Life Bible
Do you see a man who is good at his work? He will stand in front of kings. He will not stand in front of men who are not important.
New Revised Standard
Do you see those who are skillful in their work? They will serve kings; they will not serve common people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou seest that a diligent man in his businesse standeth before Kings, and standeth not before the base sort.
George Lamsa Translation
When you see that a man is diligent in his work, he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.
Good News Translation

-5-

Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.
Revised Standard Version
Do you see a man skilful in his work? he will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Seest thou not that they which be diligent in their businesse stande before kinges, & not among the simple people?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
It is fit that an observant man and one diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.
Christian Standard Bible®
Do you see a person skilled in his work?He will stand in the presence of kings.He will not stand in the presence of the unknown.
Hebrew Names Version
Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings; He won't serve obscure men.
King James Version
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Lexham English Bible
A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see: before kings, he will serve; he will not serve before the commoners.
Literal Translation
Do you see a man who is prompt in his work? He shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before obscure men .
Young's Literal Translation
Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Seist thou not, yt they which be diligent in their busines stonde before kynges, and not amonge the symple people?
THE MESSAGE

5

Observe people who are good at their work— skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don't take a backseat to anyone.
New American Standard Bible
Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure people.
New King James Version
Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.
Legacy Standard Bible
Do you see a man skilled in his work?He will stand before kings;He will not stand before obscure men.

Contextual Overview

29Do you see a man skillful and experienced in his work? He will stand [in honor] before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a man: Proverbs 10:4, Proverbs 12:24, 1 Kings 11:28, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23, Romans 12:11, 2 Timothy 4:2

he shall stand: That is, he shall have the honour of serving kings; as the phrase denotes.

mean men: Heb. obscure men

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:33 - General Genesis 24:54 - Send me Genesis 39:4 - overseer Genesis 41:40 - Thou shalt Genesis 41:41 - General Genesis 41:46 - he stood Genesis 47:6 - rulers Deuteronomy 1:38 - which standeth Joshua 10:9 - all night Ruth 2:7 - continued 1 Samuel 16:21 - stood before him 1 Samuel 17:31 - sent for him 2 Samuel 2:32 - went Proverbs 26:12 - Seest Proverbs 27:18 - so Jeremiah 15:19 - stand Jeremiah 40:10 - serve Daniel 1:4 - ability Daniel 1:19 - therefore Daniel 6:3 - was preferred

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Seest thou a man diligent in his business?.... In the business of his calling, be it what it will, whether for himself or his master; constant in it, swift, ready, and expeditious at it; who industriously pursues it, cheerfully attends it, makes quick dispatch of it; does it off of hand, at once, and is not slothful in it, nor weary of it; when you have observed and taken notice of such a man, which is not very common, you may, without a spirit of prophecy, foresee that such a man will rise in the world;

he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men], or "obscure persons" o; he shall not continue in the service of ignoble persons, or keep company with them; but he shall be taken into the service of princes and noble men, and be admitted into their presence, and receive favours from them; as Joseph, who was industrious and diligent in his business in Potiphar's house, was in process of time advanced, and stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt, Genesis 39:4. This may be spiritually applied. Every good man has a work or business to do in a religious way; some in a higher sphere, as officers of churches, ministers and deacons; the work of the one lies in reading, study, meditation, and prayer, in the ministration of the word and ordinances, and other duties of their once; and the business of the others in taking care of the poor, and the secular affairs of the churches; others in a lower way, and common to all Christians, which lies in the exercise of grace, and performance of all good works, relative to themselves, their families, and the church of God. Now ministers that are diligent in teaching and ruling; and deacons that do their office well; and private Christians, who are steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; are ready to every good work, heartily engaged in it, and constantly at it; shall not be company for the sons of darkness, unregenerate men, who are in the dark, and darkness itself; what communion has light with darkness, with works of darkness, they should be not workers of? or have any fellowship with the prince of darkness, from whose power they are delivered; but shall have society with the saints, who are made kings and priests unto God; shall be admitted into the presence of the King of kings now, and have communion with him; and shall stand before him at the great day with confidence, and not be ashamed; shall stand at his right hand, and shall be for ever with him. So the Jews p interpret this place, "he shall not stand before dark ones", in hell; "he shall stand before kings", in the garden of Eden, in paradise; that is, in heaven.

o לפני חשכים "ante obscuros", Mercerus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator "coram obscuris", Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis; "in conspectu obscurorum", Schultens. p Gloss. in T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 104. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The gift of a quick and ready intellect is to lead to high office, it is not to be wasted on a work to which the obscure are adequate.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 22:29. 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."


 
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