I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Parallel translations
- WEB I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
- BSB I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
- 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 12:11He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
- Prov 6:6–19Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
- Job 4:8Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
- Eccl 8:9–11All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
- Eccl 4:1–8So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
- Job 15:17I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
- Prov 6:32But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
- Prov 10:13In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
- Job 5:27Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.
- Ps 37:25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
- Eccl 7:15All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
- Ps 107:42The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her 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.