I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
Parallel translations
- WEB I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
- KJV I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
- NKJV I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
- NASB ¶I passed by the field of a lazy one, And by the vineyard of a person lacking sense,
- NLT I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.
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 teacher observes the neglected field of a lazy, senseless man. A lesson is drawn from watching consequences.
Overview
This begins a short parable-like reflection (vv. 30-34) in which the sage learns wisdom by observing the ruin caused by sloth. The sluggard and the one lacking understanding are paired, linking laziness to moral folly. The passage models how careful observation of life teaches the fear of the Lord and prudent diligence.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 12:11The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks judgment.
- Prov 6:6–19Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
- Job 4:8As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
- Eccl 8:9–11All this I have seen, applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man lords it over another to his own detriment.
- Eccl 4:1–8Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
- Job 15:17Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
- Prov 6:32He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
- Prov 10:13Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.
- Job 5:27Indeed, we have investigated, and it is true! So hear it and know for yourself.”
- Ps 37:25I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread.
- Eccl 7:15In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
- Ps 107:42The upright see and rejoice, and all iniquity shuts its mouth.
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 24:30 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.