Proverbs 14:28

New English Translation

²⁸A king’s glory is^[a] the abundance of people,
but the lack of subjects^[b] is the ruin^[c] of a ruler.

Proverbs 14:28 tn The preposition serves as the beth essentiae—the glory is the abundant population, not in it.
Proverbs 14:28 tn Heb “people.” Cf. NLT “a dwindling nation.”
Proverbs 14:28 sn The word means “ruin; destruction,” but in this context it could be a metonymy of effect, the cause being an attack by more numerous people that will bring ruin to the ruler. The proverb is purely a practical and secular saying, unlike some of the faith teachings in salvation history passages.

New English Translation (NET)