Proverbs 19:10
New International Version
It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

New Living Translation
It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule over princes!

English Standard Version
It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.

Berean Standard Bible
Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

King James Bible
Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

New King James Version
Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

New American Standard Bible
Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

NASB 1995
Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

NASB 1977
Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

Legacy Standard Bible
Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

Amplified Bible
Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

Christian Standard Bible
Luxury is not appropriate for a fool — how much less for a slave to rule over princes!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Luxury is not appropriate for a fool— how much less for a slave to rule over princes!

American Standard Version
Delicate living is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A delicacy is not fitting for a fool, neither for a Servant to rule among princes.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Delight does not suit a fool, nor is it seemly if a servant should begin to rule with haughtiness.

Contemporary English Version
It isn't right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule in place of a king.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Delicacies are not seemly for a fool: nor for a servant to have rule over princes.

English Revised Version
Delicate living is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Luxury does not fit a fool, much less a slave ruling princes.

Good News Translation
Fools should not live in luxury, and slaves should not rule over noblemen.

International Standard Version
It's not fitting for a fool to live in luxury; neither is it for a servant to rule over princes.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Luxury is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

Literal Standard Version
Luxury is not fitting for a fool, | Much less for a servant to rule among princes.

Majority Standard Bible
Luxury is unseemly for a fool—how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

New American Bible
Luxury is not befitting a fool; much less should a slave rule over princes.

NET Bible
Luxury is not appropriate for a fool; how much less for a servant to rule over princes!

New Revised Standard Version
It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.

New Heart English Bible
Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

Webster's Bible Translation
Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

World English Bible
Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

Young's Literal Translation
Luxury is not comely for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule among princes.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Man of Integrity
9A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who pours out lies will perish. 10Luxury is unseemly for a fool— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes! 11A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.…

Cross References
Proverbs 17:7
Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

Proverbs 26:1
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.

Proverbs 30:22
a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,

Ecclesiastes 10:6
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.

Ecclesiastes 10:7
I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.


Treasury of Scripture

Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

delight

Proverbs 30:21,22
For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: …

1 Samuel 25:36
And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

Esther 3:15
The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

much

2 Samuel 3:24,25,39
Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? …

Ecclesiastes 10:5-7
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: …

Isaiah 3:5
And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

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Proverbs 19
1. Life and Conduct














(10) Delight is not seemly for a fool.--He is ruined by prosperity and luxury: much more is a slave unfit to rule over princes. The writer has in his mind the case of an emancipated slave being raised to high place by court favour, and then insolently trampling on those who were once far above him. (Comp. Proverbs 30:22; Ecclesiastes 10:6-7.)

Verse 10. - Delight is not seemly for a fool (comp. Proverbs 17:7; Proverbs 26:1). Taanug, rendered "delight," implies other delicate living, luxury; τρυφή, Septuagint. Such a life is ruin to a fool. who knows not how to use it properly; it confirms him in his foolish, sinful ways. A man needs religion and reason to enable him to bear prosperity advantageously, and these the fool lacks. "Secundae res," remarks Sallust ('Catil.,' 11), "sapientium animos fatigant," "Even wise men are wearied and harassed by prosperity," much more must such good fortune try those who have no practical wisdom to guide and control their enjoyment. Vatablus explains the clause to mean that it is impossible for a fool, a sinner, to enjoy peace of conscience, which alone is true delight. But looking to the next clause, we see that the moralist is thinking primarily of the elevation of a slave to a high position, and his arrogance in consequence thereof. Much less for a servant to have rule over princes. By the unwise favouritism of a potentate, a slave of lowly birth might be raised to eminence and set above the nobles and princes of the land. The writer of Ecclesiastes gives his experience in this matter: "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth" (Ecclesiastes 10:7). The same anomaly is mentioned with censure (Proverbs 30:22 and Ecclus. 11:5). What is the behaviour of unworthy persons thus suddenly raised to high position has formed the subject of many a satire. It is the old story of the "beggar on horseback." A German proverb declares, "Kein Scheermesser scharfer schiest, als wenn der Bauer zu Herrn wird." Claud., 'In Eutrop.,' 181, etc.

"Asperius nihil est humili, quum surgit in altum;
Cuncta ferit, dum cuncta timet; desaevit in omnes,
Ut se posse putent; nec bellua tetrior ulla
Quam servi rabies in libera colla furentis."
As an example of a different disposition, Cornelius a Lapide refers to the history of Agathocles. Tyrant of Syracuse, who rose from the humble occupation of a potter to a position of vast power, and, to remind himself of his lowly origin, used to dine off mean earthenware. Ausonius thus alludes to this humility ('Epigr.,' 8.) -

"Fama est fictilibus coenasse Agathoclea regem,
Atque abacum Samio saepe onerasse luto;
Fercula gemmatis cum poneret horrida vasis,
Et misceret opes pauperiemque simul.

Quaerenti causam, respondit: Rex ego qui sum
Sicaniae, figulo sum genitore satus
Fortunam reverenter habe, quicunque repente
Dives ab exili progrediere loco."


Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Luxury
תַּעֲנ֑וּג (ta·‘ă·nūḡ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8588: Daintiness, luxury, exquisite delight

is unseemly
נָאוֶ֣ה (nā·weh)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 5000: Suitable, beautiful

for a fool—
לִכְסִ֣יל (liḵ·sîl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool

how much worse
אַ֝֗ף (’ap̄)
Conjunction
Strong's 637: Meaning accession, yea, adversatively though

for a slave
לְעֶ֤בֶד ׀ (lə·‘e·ḇeḏ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

to rule
מְשֹׁ֬ל (mə·šōl)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4910: To rule, have dominion, reign

over princes!
בְּשָׂרִֽים׃ (bə·śā·rîm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 19:10 Delicate living is not appropriate (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 19:9
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