The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.
Parallel translations
- WEB The king’s favor is toward a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is toward one who causes shame.
- BSB A king delights in a wise servant, but his anger falls on the shameful.
- NKJV The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, But his wrath is against him who causes shame.
- NASB The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts wisely, But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.
- NLT A king rejoices in wise servants but is angry with those who disgrace him.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A king favors a wise servant but is angered by a shameful one. Wise and faithful service earns the approval of those in authority.
Overview
This proverb observes that competent, prudent service gains a ruler's favor, while disgraceful conduct draws his wrath. It commends faithful, skillful work, especially before those in authority. The principle points to the greater King who commends His faithful servants with 'well done' (Matthew 25:21).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 24:45–51Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
- Prov 22:11He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
- Prov 25:5Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
- Prov 29:12If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
- Luke 12:42–48And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
- Matt 25:21His 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.
- Matt 25:23His 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.
- Ps 101:4–8A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
- Prov 19:26He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
- Prov 20:8A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
- Prov 20:26A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
- Prov 17:2A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
- Prov 19:12–13The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.
- Prov 10:5He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 14:35 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.