Proverbs 12:9 Go deeper

He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread. (KJV)

Hebrew words tap a word

ט֣וֹבTov[is] good

Lemma: טוֹב (tov) · Strong's: H2896A

Parsing: Adjective · Common · Masculine · Singular · Absolute (HAamsa)

Meaning: pleasant

Used 384 times. Also: Genesis 1:31, Genesis 2:9, Genesis 2:12, Genesis 2:18, Genesis 3:5, Genesis 6:2 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H2896A; TAHOT Proverbs 12:9 word 1

נִ֭קְלֶהNik.leha lightly esteemed [person]

Lemma: קָלָה (qa.lah) · Strong's: H7034

Parsing: Verb · Niphal (hence Action · Passive) · Participle · Masculine · Singular · Absolute (HVNrmsa)

Meaning: to dishonor

Used 6 times. Also: Deuteronomy 25:3, Deuteronomy 27:16, 1 Samuel 18:23, Isaiah 3:5, Isaiah 16:14 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H7034; TAHOT Proverbs 12:9 word 2

וְעֶ֣בֶדve.'E.vedand a servant

Lemma: עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) · Strong's: H5650

Parsing: Noun · Common · Masculine · Singular · Absolute (HNcmsa)

Meaning: servant/slave

Used 796 times. Also: Genesis 9:25, Genesis 9:26, Genesis 9:27, Genesis 12:16, Genesis 14:15, Genesis 18:3 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H5650; TAHOT Proverbs 12:9 word 3

מִ֝מְּתַכַּבֵּ֗דmi.me.tak.ka.Bedmore than [one who] honors himself

Lemma: כָּבֵד (ka.vad) · Strong's: H3513G

Parsing: Verb · Hithpael (hence Action · Reflexive/iterative) · Participle · Masculine · Singular · Absolute (HVtrmsa)

Meaning: to honor: honour

Used 73 times. Also: Genesis 34:19, Exodus 14:4, Exodus 14:17, Exodus 14:18, Exodus 20:12, Leviticus 10:3 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H3513G; TAHOT Proverbs 12:9 word 4

וַחֲסַר\־va.cha.sar-and [one] lacking of

Lemma: חָסֵר (cha.ser) · Strong's: H2638

Parsing: Aamsc (Aamsc)

Meaning: lacking

Used 17 times. Also: 1 Samuel 21:15, 2 Samuel 3:29, 1 Kings 11:22, Proverbs 6:32, Proverbs 7:7, Proverbs 9:4 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H2638; TAHOT Proverbs 12:9 word 5

לָֽחֶם\׃La.chemfood

Lemma: לֶ֫חֶם (le.chem) · Strong's: H3899H

Parsing: Noun · Common · Masculine · Singular · Absolute (HNcmsa)

Meaning: food: bread

Used 220 times. Also: Genesis 3:19, Genesis 14:18, Genesis 18:5, Genesis 21:14, Genesis 25:34, Genesis 27:17 · All occurrences →

Source: TBESH H3899H; TAHOT Proverbs 12:9 word 6

How the BSB renders it

Each English phrase in the Berean Standard Bible and the original word behind it.

Better	→	טוֹב H2896A pleasant
to be lightly esteemed	→	קָלָה H7034 to dishonor
yet have a servant	→	עֶ֫בֶד H5650 servant/slave
than to be self-important	→	כָּבֵד H3513G to honor: honour
but lack	→	חָסֵר H2638 lacking
food	→	לֶ֫חֶם H3899H food: bread

King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. Source

All attributions

Original-language words, glosses, parsing and lexicon entries: STEPBible data by Tyndale House, Cambridge (TAHOT, TAGNT, TBESH, TBESG, TFLSJ, TEHMC, TEGMC), CC BY 4.0, with changes. Hebrew text from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English alignment: Berean Standard Bible tables (public domain).

All attributions and changes