Proverbs 25:7 · World English Bible
Proverbs 25:7 in the Original Hebrew
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Proverbs 25:7 in Other Translations
| KJV | For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen. |
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| WEB | for it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen. |
| ASV | For better is it that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, Than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom thine eyes have seen. |
| YLT | For better that he hath said to thee, ‘Come thou up hither,’ Than that he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen. |
| WBT | For better [it is] that it be said to thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thy eyes have seen. |
| DBY | for better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes see. |
Commentary on Proverbs 25:7
Expositions from classic Bible commentators.
John Gill · Proverbs 25:7
For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither,.... It is much more to thine honour and credit to seat thyself in a place rather beneath than above thee; which being observed by some of the officers at court, or by him whose business it is to look after such things, he will beckon or call to thee to come up to a higher and more honourable place:
than that thou shouldest be put lower, in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen; than that thou shouldest be thrust away with a severe rebuke for thy boldness and arrogance, in approaching too near the king's person, and taking the place of some great man, which did not become thee, and be forced down to a lower place, to thy great mortification; and the more, as this will be in the presence of the prince thou hadst the curiosity of seeing, and the ambition of making thyself acceptable to, by a gay and splendid appearance; and now with great disgrace turned out of his presence, or at least driven to a great distance from him. Our Lord seems to refer to this passage, in Luk 14:8.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown · Proverbs 25:6–7
Do not intrude into the presence of the king, for the elevation of the humble is honorable, but the humbling of the proud disgraceful (Luk 14:8-10).
Read Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's full commentary on Proverbs 25 →
Cross References for Proverbs 25:7
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Questions about Proverbs 25:7
What does Proverbs 25:7 say?
Proverbs 25:7 in the World English Bible reads: “for it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.” Read it in the full context of Proverbs 25, alongside the classic commentary on this page.
Where is Proverbs 25:7 found in the Bible?
Proverbs 25:7 is in the book of Proverbs, chapter 25, verse 7, in the Old Testament.
What Bible translation is Proverbs 25:7 shown in?
This is the World English Bible (WEB), a public-domain translation. You can compare how other translations render Proverbs 25:7 in the table on this page.
Here we see, 1. That religion is so far from destroying good manners that it reaches us to behave ourselves lowly and reverently towards our superiors, to keep our distance, and give place to those to whom it belongs "Put not forth thyself rudely and carelessly in the king's presence, or in the presence of great men; do not compare with them" (so some understand it); "do not vie with them in apparel, furniture, gardens, house-keeping, or retinue, for that is an affront to them and will waste thy own estate." 2. That religion teaches us humility and self-denial, which is a better lesson than that of good manners: "Deny thyself the place thou art entitled to; covet not to make a fair show, nor air at preferment, nor thrust thyself into the company of those that are above thee; be content in a low sphere if that is it which God has allotted to thee." The reason he gives is because this is really the way to advancement, as our Saviour shows in a parable that seems to be borrowed from this, Luk 14:9. Not that we must therefore pretend modesty and humility, and make a stratagem of it, for the courting of honour, but therefore we must really be modest and humble, because God will put honour on such and so will men too. It is better, more for a man's satisfaction and reputation, to be advanced above his pretensions and expectations, than to be thrust down below them, in the presence of the prince, whom it was a great piece of honour to be admitted to the sight of and a great piece of presumption to look upon without leave.