New International Version
Proverbs 21:25
25The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because 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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.
Context of Proverbs 21:25
23Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. 24The proud and arrogant person—“Mocker” is his name— behaves with insolent fury. The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. 26All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. 27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought 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; consider its ways and be wise!
- Proverbs 12:24Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
- Proverbs 13:4A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
- Proverbs 15:19The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.
- Proverbs 19:24A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
- Proverbs 20:4Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.
- Proverbs 22:13The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!”
- Proverbs 24:30I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
- Proverbs 26:13A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
- Matthew 25:26“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?
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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