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

8To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper. 9A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed. It isn’t right for a fool to live in luxury or for a slave to rule over princes! 11Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs. 12The king’s anger is like a lion’s roar, but his favor is like dew on the 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 tremble— no, four it cannot endure:
• 1 Samuel 25:36When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal was throwing a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything about her meeting with David until dawn the next day.
• Esther 3:15At the king’s command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa fell into confusion.
• Isaiah 5:11What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.
• Isaiah 22:12At that time the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, called you to weep and mourn. He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins and to wear clothes of burlap to show your remorse.
• Hosea 7:3“The people entertain the king with their wickedness, and the princes laugh at their lies.
• Hosea 9:1O people of Israel, do not rejoice as other nations do. For you have been unfaithful to your God, hiring yourselves out like prostitutes, worshiping other gods on every threshing floor.
• Amos 6:3You push away every thought of coming disaster, but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer.
• Luke 16:19Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury.
• James 4:9Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
• 2 Samuel 3:24Joab rushed to the king and demanded, “What have you done? What do you mean by letting Abner get away?
• Ecclesiastes 10:5There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake
• Isaiah 3:5People will oppress each other— man against man, neighbor against neighbor. Young people will insult their elders, and vulgar people will sneer at the honorable.

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