For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

For it is better that it should be said to thee: Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be humbled before the prince.

For better it is that it be said to thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thy eyes have seen.

For better that he hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than that he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.

For it is better to have it said to you, Come up here; than for you to be put down in a lower place before the ruler.

For it is better that it should be said to you, "Ascend to here," than that you should be humbled before the prince.

Come up hither - Our Lord refers to this, see Luke 14:8 (note), and the notes there. Be humble; affect not high things; let those who are desperate climb dangerous precipices; keep thyself quiet, and thou shalt live at ease, and in peace. Hear the speech of a wise heathen on this subject: -
Quid fuit, ut tutas agitaret Daedalus alas;Icarus immensas nomine signet aquas?
Nempe quod hic alte, dimissus ille volabat.Nam pennas ambo nonne habuere suas?
Crede mihi; bene qui latuit, bene vixit; et infraFortunam debet quisque manere suam.
Vive sine invidia; mollesque inglorius annosExige: amicitias et tibi junge pares.
Ovid, Trist. lib. iii., El. 4, ver. 21.
"Why was it that Daedalus winged his way safely, while Icarus his son fell, and gave name to the Icarian sea? Was it not because the son flew aloft, and the father skimmed the ground? For both were furnished with the same kind of wings. Take my word for it, that he who lives privately lives safely; and every one should live within his own income. Envy no man; pray for a quiet life, though it should not be dignified. Seek a friend, and associate with thy equals."

For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither,.... It is much more to thine honour and credit to seat thyself in a place rather beneath than above thee; which being observed by some of the officers at court, or by him whose business it is to look after such things, he will beckon or call to thee to come up to a higher and more honourable place:
than that thou shouldest be put lower, in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen; than that thou shouldest be thrust away with a severe rebuke for thy boldness and arrogance, in approaching too near the king's person, and taking the place of some great man, which did not become thee, and be forced down to a lower place, to thy great mortification; and the more, as this will be in the presence of the prince thou hadst the curiosity of seeing, and the ambition of making thyself acceptable to, by a gay and splendid appearance; and now with great disgrace turned out of his presence, or at least driven to a great distance from him. Our Lord seems to refer to this passage, in Luke 14:8.