New International Version (NIV)
9Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
than pretend to be somebody and have no food.
Proverbs 12:9
Proverbs 12:9 in 6 English translations. Each links through to the full chapter for context.
New American Standard Bible - NASB (NASB2020)
9Better is one who is lightly esteemed and has a servant,
Than one who honors himself and lacks bread.
New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
9Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant
Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
9 12:9 This is the first of many verses in Proverbs that use the “better…than” construction to emphasize contrasting positions.Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant,
Than he who [boastfully] honors himself [pretending to be what he is not] and lacks bread.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB)
9Better to be lightly esteemed yet have a servant,
than to be self-important but lack food.
New International Reader’s Version (NIrV)
9Being nobody and having a servant
is better than pretending to be somebody and having no food.