Proverbs 25:6-7
New English Translation
6 Do not honor yourself before the king,
and do not stand in the place of great men;
7 for it is better for him[a] to say to you, “Come up here,”[b]
than to put you lower[c] before a prince,
whom your eyes have seen.[d]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:7 tn The phrase “for him” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
- Proverbs 25:7 sn This proverb, covering the two verses, is teaching that it is wiser to be promoted than to risk demotion by self-promotion. The point is clear: Trying to promote oneself could bring on public humiliation, but it would be an honor to have everyone in court hear the promotion by the king.
- Proverbs 25:7 tn The two infinitives construct form the contrast in this “better” sayings; each serves as the subject of its respective clause.
- Proverbs 25:7 tc Most modern commentators either omit this last line or attach it to the next verse. But it is in the text of the MT as well as the LXX, Syriac, Vulgate, and most modern English versions (although some of them do connect it to the following verse, e.g., NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
Proverbs 25:6-7
World English Bible
6 Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
or claim a place among great men;
7 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.
Proverbs 25:27
New English Translation
27 It is not good[a] to eat too much honey,
nor is it honorable for people to seek their own glory.[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:27 sn This is a figure of speech known as tapeinosis—a deliberate understatement to emphasize a worst-case scenario: “it is bad!”
- Proverbs 25:27 tn Heb “and the investigation of their glory is not glory.” This line is difficult to understand but it forms an analogy to honey—glory, like honey, is good, but not to excess. The LXX rendered this, “it is proper to honor notable sayings.” A. A. MacIntosh suggests, “He who searches for glory will be distressed” (“A Note on Prov 25:27, ” VT 20 [1970]: 112-14). G. E. Bryce has “to search out difficult things is glorious” (“Another Wisdom ‘Book’ in Proverbs,” JBL 91 (1972): 145-47). R. C. Van Leeuwen suggests, “to seek difficult things is as glory” (“Proverbs 25:27 Once Again,” VT 36 [1986]: 105-14). The Hebrew is cryptic, but not unintelligible: “seeking their glory [is not] glory.” It is saying that seeking one’s own glory is dishonorable.
Proverbs 25:27
World English Bible
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.
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