New English Translation
Proverbs 21:25
25What the sluggard desires will kill him, for his hands refuse to work.
Proverbs 21:25 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
- New International Version (NIV)The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.
Context of Proverbs 21:25
23The one who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his life from troubles. 24A proud and arrogant person, whose name is “Scoffer,” acts with overbearing pride. What the sluggard desires will kill him, for his hands refuse to work. 26All day long he craves greedily, but the righteous gives and does not hold back. 27The wicked person’s sacrifice is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent!
Read all of Proverbs 21Proverbs 21:25 word by word
תַּאֲוַ֣ת עָצֵ֣ל תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־מֵאֲנ֖וּ יָדָ֣יו לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 21:25
- Proverbs 6:6Go to the ant, you sluggard; observe its ways and be wise!
- Proverbs 12:24The diligent person will rule, but the slothful will become a slave.
- Proverbs 13:4The appetite of the sluggard craves but gets nothing, but the desire of the diligent will be abundantly satisfied.
- Proverbs 15:19The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is like a highway.
- Proverbs 19:24The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish, and he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
- Proverbs 20:4The sluggard will not plow during the planting season, so at harvest time he looks for the crop but has nothing.
- Proverbs 22:13The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the middle of the streets!”
- Proverbs 24:30I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of one who lacks wisdom.
- Proverbs 26:13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A lion in the streets!”
- Matthew 25:26But his master answered, ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?
Commentaries on Proverbs 21:25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25The desire of the slothful killeth him - He desires to eat, drink, and be clothed: but as he does not labor, hence he dies with this desire in his heart, envying those who possess plenty through their labor and industry. Hence he is said to covet greedily all the day long, Proverbs 21:26, while the righteous, who has been laborious and diligent, has enough to eat, and some to spare.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25Killeth him - He wastes his strength and life in unsatisfied longings for something which he has not energy to gain. The wish to do great or good things may sometimes be taken for the deed, but if the hindrance is from a man‘s own sloth, it does but add to his condemnation.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-26Verses 25-26 Here is the misery of the slothful; their hands refuse to labour in an honest calling, by which they might get an honest livelihood; yet their hearts cease not to covet riches, pleasures, and honours, which cannot be obtained without labour. But the righteous and industrious have their desires satisfied.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. desire--that is, of ease and idleness brings him to starvation.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 21:25
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 21
- 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
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