The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
Parallel translations
- KJV The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
- BSB The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
- ESV The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
- NKJV The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.
- NASB The desire of the lazy one puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work;
- NLT Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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's cravings destroy him because he refuses to work. It matters as a warning that laziness is self-destructive.
Overview
The lazy person desires much but will not labor to obtain it, and his idleness brings him to ruin (Proverbs 13:4; 6:9-11). Desire without diligence is deadly. The verse commends honest work as the God-ordained means of provision and dignity.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 13:4The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.
- Matt 25:26“But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter.
- Prov 12:24The hands of the diligent ones shall rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.
- Prov 19:24The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
- Prov 12:27The slothful man doesn’t roast his game, but the possessions of diligent men are prized.
- Prov 15:19The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway.
- Prov 26:16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
- Prov 24:30–34I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
- Prov 20:4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
- Prov 22:13The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the streets!”
- Prov 26:13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”
- Prov 6:6–11Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
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 21:25 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.