Proverbs 19:10

Proverbs 19:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
• New International Version (NIV)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!
• English Standard Version (ESV)It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

Context of Proverbs 19:10

8If you learn to be wise, it shows that you love yourself. If you understand what is right, you will do well. 9If you tell lies in court, the judge will certainly punish you. That will be the end of you! Fools should not live like rich people. Even worse, slaves should never have authority over rulers. 11If someone is wise, he controls his anger. When anyone hurts him, he is careful to forget it. 12When the king is angry, he makes people afraid, like a lion that roars. But when he is pleased with you, that is like dew on fresh grass.

Proverbs 19:10 word by word

לֹֽא־נָאוֶ֣ה לִכְסִ֣יל תַּעֲנ֑וּג אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־לְעֶ֤בֶד׀ מְשֹׁ֬ל בְּשָׂרִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Delightתַּעֲנוּגta‛ănûg ta‛ănûg ta‛ănûgâh · luxuryH8588
• is not seemlyנָאוֶהnâ'veh · lovelyH5000
• for a foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• much less for a servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• to have ruleמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
• over princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269

Cross-references for Proverbs 19:10

• Proverbs 30:21There are three things that make the earth shake, even four things:
• 1 Samuel 25:36Abigail returned to her husband, Nabal. He was eating a big feast with people in his house. It was as good as a king's feast. Nabal was happy and drunk. So Abigail did not tell him anything until the next morning.
• Esther 3:15King Xerxes told his men to take the letters quickly to all the people. They also read the law to the people in Susa city. Then Haman and the king sat down to drink wine together. But the people in the city were very upset.
• Isaiah 5:11It will be bad for you people who like to get up early to start drinking. You continue to drink late into the night, until you are very drunk.
• Isaiah 22:12At that time, the Lord Almighty told you to be very sad and weep. He told you to cut all the hair off your heads and to wear rough clothes.
• Hosea 7:3The king is happy to see the evil things that his people do. The leaders are also happy when the people cheat and tell lies.
• Hosea 9:1People of Israel, do not shout with joy, as the people of other nations do at their festivals. You have not been faithful to me, your God. Like a prostitute, you sell yourselves to foreign gods that you worship on the threshing floors.
• Amos 6:3You refuse to think that trouble might come to you. But the cruel things that you do are causing trouble to come very soon.
• Luke 16:19Jesus then said, ‘At one time, there was a rich man who wore very expensive clothes. This rich man ate big meals every day.
• James 4:9Be sorry about your sins and weep. Stop laughing and instead be sad. Do not be happy but be very upset.
• 2 Samuel 3:24Joab went to the king. He said, ‘Why did you do this? Abner came to visit you. You allowed him to go back home safely. Now he has gone.
• Ecclesiastes 10:5I have seen another terrible thing that happens on the earth. It happens when a ruler does a silly thing.
• Isaiah 3:5People will be cruel to each other. Men will argue against one another and neighbours will fight each other. Young people will insult older people. And useless people will speak against people that they should respect.

Commentaries on Proverbs 19:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Delight is not seemly for a fool - תענוג taanug, splendid or luxurious living, rank, equipage, etc. These sit ill on a fool, though he be by birth a lord. For a servant to have rule over princes - I pity the king who delivers himself into the hands of his own ministers. Such a one loses his character, and cannnot be respected by his subjects, or rather their subjects. But it is still worse when a person of mean extraction is raised to the throne, or to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10“Delight,” high unrestrained enjoyment, is to the “fool” who lacks wisdom but a temptation and a snare. The second clause carries the thought on to what the despotism of Eastern monarchies often presented, the objectionable rule of some favored slave, it might be, of alien birth, over the princes and nobles of the land.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10Verse 10 A man that has not wisdom and grace, has no right or title to true joy. It is very unseemly for one who is a servant to sin, to oppress God's free-men.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. (Compare Pr 17:7). The fool is incapable of properly using pleasure as knowledge, yet for him to have it is less incongruous than the undue elevation of servants. Let each abide in his calling (1Co 7:20).Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 19:10

• Citizens
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Judgment
• Pity
• Scorner
• Slothfulness
• Proverb
• Proverbs, the Book of

Commentaries on Proverbs 19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings