In this saying simplicity is better than pretense. But this verse has been interpreted in many ways.

“Better is a man of humble standing who works for himself”: This line is literally “Better despised and a servant to him.” Filled out this can mean “Better is a person who is despised than someone who has a servant.” Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have understood different vowels for the Hebrew word for “servant” to get a word meaning “to work,” that is, “who works for himself”. New English Bible/Revised English Bible say “and earn one’s living.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates the text as “C” and recommends keeping the Hebrew text as is; it understands it to mean “but has at least one servant.” Contemporary English Version translates “and have only one servant” in its text and in its footnote says “It is better just to have an ordinary job.” All of these renderings agree that the first line recognizes that the simple life is better than that expressed in line 2. Line 1 may be rendered, for example, “It is better to be a person of ordinary means and have only one servant. . ..”

“Than one who plays the great man but lacks bread”: “Who plays the great man” is literally “one who makes himself heavy,” that is, “who honors himself.” This is sometimes expressed as “who thinks he is important.” “Lacks bread” is a way of expressing poverty, of being destitute of physical necessities.

This whole saying expresses the thought that a person in moderately comfortable circumstances (someone who has at least a servant) is better off than another person who acts as if he were rich but does not have a thing. The Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translation is so lyrical and balanced it deserves to be quoted: “Más vale menospreciado pero servido,
ue reverenciado pero mal comido.” (“Better disdained and served than revered and starved.”)

The translation of “Better . . . than” in a context like this is quite difficult in some languages. Translators may need to focus the contrast on a particular feature or element rather than trying to compare the whole situation of the two persons described. One translation has, for example, “An ordinary person who works hard to get his food, his life is good, it wins against the life of someone who makes out he is important but is always hungry.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .