Commentary: On Proverbs

Better is the one who is slighted and is his own servant than one who honors himself but lacks bread. (Proverbs 12:9)

Better is the one who is slighted and is his own servant: This is from the point of view of intelligence. An intelligent person should not be too proud to do his own work. The fools say to him, “This one, who does his own work, is slighted. Why doesn’t he hire a worker?”

Than he who honors himself but lacks bread: This is the opposite. One who does not have enough, yet he hires a worker to do his work.

Some interpret Better is the one who is slighted and has a servant in the eyes of man. He has servants at home, so he is honored by men, but he has nothing to eat.

This should be interpreted as referring to asceticism. Better is the one who is slighted in the eyes of man but rules his spirit, and his desires serve him, than one who honors himself and does not have knowledge or wisdom, as it is written: Come, eat of my bread (Proverbs 9:5), which was spoken by Wisdom, as we explained earlier. Similarly, the philosopher said to the king of Babylon, “You are a slave to my slaves. My desires are my slaves, while your desires rule you, and so you are a slave to my slaves.” The king said to him, “You don’t know me.” He said, “Yes, I do know you.” He said, “Who am I?” He said, “You began as a foul stench, and your ending will be likewise. Either way, you are a vessel full of filth.” And he recited the words of the poem:

The meaning is that one passes twice through the place where urine exits: once when his father begets him and the second when his mother gives birth to him.