The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
Parallel translations
- WEB The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
- KJV The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
- NKJV The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.
- NASB The lazy one does not plow after the autumn, So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.
- NLT Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.
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 won't plow in season, so he finds nothing at harvest. Neglecting duty in its proper time brings later want.
Overview
This proverb pictures the sluggard refusing to plow because of the cold, only to beg in vain at harvest. It teaches that work neglected in its season yields poverty later, underscoring the importance of timely diligence. The principle of sowing and reaping runs through Scripture (Gal. 6:7-9), urging believers to labor faithfully now in their God-given callings rather than to indulge laziness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Prov 10:4Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
- Prov 19:15Laziness brings on deep sleep, and an idle soul will suffer hunger.
- Prov 13:4The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.
- Matt 25:3–10The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil.
- Matt 25:24–28Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
- 2 Pet 1:5–11For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- Prov 26:13–16The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
- Prov 6:10–11A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
- Prov 19:24The slacker buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth.
- Prov 24:34and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 20:4 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.