As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
Parallel translations
- WEB As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.
- BSB As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
- NKJV As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed.
- NASB As the door turns on its hinges, So does a lazy one on his bed.
- NLT As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.
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 turns on his bed like a door on its hinges, much motion but no progress. Laziness keeps one fixed in place.
Overview
The vivid image of a door swinging yet going nowhere captures the sluggard's restless inertia, always moving but never rising to work. It satirizes the comfort-loving heart that resists productive effort. The proverb commends diligence as the antidote to such futile idleness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Heb 6:12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
- Prov 24:33Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
- Prov 12:24The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.
- Prov 6:9–10How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
- Prov 12:27The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.
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 26:14 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.