Proverbs 20:4

Proverbs 20:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
• New International Version (NIV)Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

Context of Proverbs 20:4

2When the king is angry, he is as dangerous as a lion that roars. If you make him angry, you will lose your life. 3If you keep away from arguments, you will receive honour. Only fools love to quarrel. A lazy farmer does not plough his fields in winter. As a result, he has nothing to eat when harvest time arrives. 5A person's thoughts are like deep waters. But a wise person can bring them into the open. 6Many people say that you can trust them. But it is difficult to find a truly faithful person.

Proverbs 20:4 word by word

מֵ֭חֹרֶף עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ וְשָׁאַ֖ל בַּקָּצִ֣יר וָאָֽיִן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The sluggardעָצֵל‛âtsêl · sluggishH6102
• will not plowחָרַשׁchârash · to plow/plotH2790
• by reason of the coldחֹ֫רֶףchôreph · autumnH2779
• shall he begשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• in harvestקָצִירqâtsîyr · harvestH7105

Cross-references for Proverbs 20:4

• Proverbs 10:4If a man is lazy, he will soon be poor. But if he works hard, he will become rich.
• Proverbs 19:15A lazy person cannot wake up from sleep. If he does no work, he will always be hungry.
• Proverbs 26:13A lazy person does not go out of his house. He says, ‘There is a lion outside in the street!’
• Proverbs 6:10You say, ‘I will have a short sleep. I will rest quietly for a while.’
• Proverbs 24:34But while you sleep you will suddenly become poor. You will have nothing, as if someone has robbed you.
• Matthew 25:3The silly women took their lamps with them, but they did not take any extra oil with them.
• 2 Peter 1:5God has done all this to help you. So now that you believe in Christ, you must grow as believers. Try very much to do always what is good. Then you should grow to know God more and more.

Commentaries on Proverbs 20:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The sluggard will not plough - For other parts of this character, see the preceding chapter, Proverbs 19 (note). It is seldom that there is a season of very cold weather in Palestine; very cold days sometimes occur, with wind, rain, and sleet. They begin their ploughing in the latter end of September, and sow their early wheat by the middle of October. And this is often the case in England itself. The meaning of the proverb is: the slothful man, under the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Plowing time in Palestine is in November and December, when the wind blows commonly from the North.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4Verse 4 He who labours and endures hardship in his seed-time for eternity, will be properly diligent as to his earthly business.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. shall ... beg--literally, "ask" (in this sense, Psa 109:10).Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 20:4

• Beggars
• Idleness
• Slothfulness
• Winter

In the dictionaries

• Advice
• Cease
• Counsel
• Naught
• Obscure
• Proclaim
• Pure
• Purpose
• Wait
• Cold

Commentaries on Proverbs 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings