Proverbs 10:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

NIV: Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.

NASB: Poor is one who works with a lazy hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

CSB: Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.

NLT: Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich.

KJV: He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

NKJV: He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

The contrast here is between laziness and persistence. A lazy person brings poverty on himself, whereas a hardworking person has a much better likelihood of being successful.

The Bible consistently recommends diligent work and warns against laziness. Even in the garden of Eden where conditions were perfect for our first parents, God gave Adam the responsibility to work. Genesis 2:15 tells us, "The LORD God took the man [Adam] and put him in the garden of Eden to work and keep it." In his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul condemns laziness. He writes: "We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all" (1 Thessalonians 5:12–14). In 2 Thessalonians 3:7–8 he reminds the believers that he and his coworkers were not lazy when they were at Thessalonica. He recalls how they worked night and day so they wouldn't be a burden to any of the believers.

In fact, Scripture's perspective on laziness is stern: "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

This chapter begins 375 "proverbs," which are general-case lessons or observations. These wise remarks continue the discussion of wisdom and wickedness begun in chapters 1—9. Most of the verses in chapter 10 contain a sharp contrast, with the conjunction "but" separating the lines. Often, the subject changes from verse to verse. The contrasting subjects include sons, treasure, work ethic, reputation, relationships, success, and speech.

In Proverbs 7—9 Solomon contrasts wisdom and wickedness in the symbolic persons of Lady Wisdom and Woman Folly. He calls upon his sons, or students, to choose wisdom, and he points out the benefits of choosing wisdom and the disastrous results of choosing wickedness. Chapter 10 presents vivid contrasts between wisdom and wickedness in many of life's settings. These comparisons continue into chapter 11.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.