Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve kings. He won’t serve obscure men.
Parallel translations
- KJV Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
- BSB 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.
- NKJV Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.
- NASB ¶Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure people.
- NLT Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.
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 person skilled and diligent in his work will rise to serve the great rather than the obscure.
Overview
Excellence and faithfulness in one's calling tend to bring advancement and honor. The proverb commends diligent craftsmanship as a path that gains the notice of those in authority. Scripture elevates this further, calling believers to work heartily "as for the Lord," knowing they ultimately serve Christ the King (Col. 3:23-24).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Kgs 11:28The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he put him in charge of all the labor of the house of Joseph.
- Matt 25:21“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
- Prov 12:24The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.
- Matt 25:23“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
- Prov 10:4He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.
- Eccl 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.
- Gen 41:46Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
- Rom 12:11not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
- 1 Kgs 10:8Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, who hear your wisdom.
- 2 Tim 4:2preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 22:29 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
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