What does Proverbs 6:9 mean?
Although the right amount of sleep can be beneficial physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, too much sleep can be harmful if it detracts from work. There is a difference between reasonable self-care and being irresponsible. Proverbs 19:15 states: "Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep." The imagery here is similar to modern cartoons and comedies, where laziness is usually represented by a person napping, nodding off, or refusing to get out of bed. In a similar way, Proverbs 20:13 warns, "Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty."Solomon's comments are echoed in a song, Lazybones, by Hoagy Carmichael. It asks, "Lazybones, sleepin' in the sun…how you 'spect to get your day's work done? You can't get your day's work done…sleepin' in the noonday sun."
In his letter to the Romans, Paul calls upon those who are asleep spiritually to wake up, because the day of redemption is approaching quickly (Romans 13:11). In other words, it is not time to sleep—to be unaware, unmoving, and inactive; it is time to serve the Lord.
