The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.
Parallel translations
- WEB The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.
- KJV The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
- NKJV The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
- NASB The soul of the lazy one craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made prosperous.
- NLT Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The sluggard craves but gets nothing, while the diligent are fully satisfied. Mere wanting accomplishes nothing without diligent effort.
Overview
The proverb contrasts the sluggard, whose desires go unmet because he will not work, with the diligent, whose efforts bring full satisfaction. It exposes the emptiness of desire without labor. This reflects God's good design for diligent work and stewardship, encouraging believers to pair their hopes with faithful effort.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 12:24The hand of the diligent will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
- Prov 12:11The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
- 2 Pet 1:5–11For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- Prov 10:4Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
- Prov 2:2–9if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,
- Prov 11:25A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
- Prov 28:25A greedy man stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.
- John 6:27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
- Heb 6:11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
- Prov 8:34Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my doorway.
- Prov 26:13The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
- Isa 58:11The LORD will always guide you; He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
- Num 23:10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous; let my end be like theirs!”
- Ps 92:14In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain,
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 13:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.