Proverbs 22:29 (LSB)

Passage

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 22:27 If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take your bed from under you?

Proverbs 22:28 Do not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers made.

Proverbs 22:29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "skilled", "stand", "before", "kings", and "obscure". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "skilled" and "stand", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The prior verse says "Do not move the ancient boundary Which...", giving immediate footing for "skilled" and "stand". In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "skilled" and "stand" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.