A person’s pride ¹  will bring him low, ²  but one who has a lowly spirit ³  will gain honor.

biblegateway Pro 29:23

A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.

A person's pride will humble him, but a humble spirit will gain honor.

A person’s pride will humiliate him, but a humble spirit gains honor.

biblegateway Pro 29:23

A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honour.

One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

bibleoremus Pro 29:23

A person’s pride will bring humiliation, but one who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Pride will bring anyone low, but honour awaits the lowly.

biblegateway Pro 29:23

A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

biblegateway Pro 29:23

A person’s pride ¹  will bring him low, ²  but one who has a lowly spirit ³  will gain honor.

¹ tn Heb “pride of a man,” with “man” functioning as a possessive. There is no indication in the immediate context that this is restricted only to males.

² tn There is a wordplay here due to the repetition of the root שָׁפֵל (shafel). In the first line the verb תִּשְׁפִּילֶנּוּ (tishpilennu) is the Hiphil imperfect of the root, rendered “will bring him low.” In the second line the word is used in the description of the “lowly of spirit,” שְׁפַל־רוּחַ (shÿfal-ruakh). The contrast works well: The proud will be brought “low,” but the one who is “lowly” will be honored. In this instance the wordplay can be preserved in the translation.

³ tn Heb “low in spirit”; KJV “humble in spirit.” This refers to an attitude of humility.

³ sn The Hebrew word translated “lowly” forms an implied comparison: To be humble is like being low, base, earthbound; whereas pride is often compared to being high, lofty – at least in one’s own eyes.