Proverbs 20:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.

NIV: Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.

NASB: Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food.

CSB: Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor; open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.

NLT: If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!

KJV: Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

NKJV: Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

Solomon (Proverbs 10:1) warns again about the potential consequences of laziness (Proverbs 6:4; 10:4). Hard work is not a magic spell that guarantees success—but the hardworking person is at much less risk of poverty than the person who is sluggish. Sleep is not bad (Proverbs 3:21–24) and neither is rest (Exodus 16:23–30). However, the person who sleeps when they should work is at risk. A prior proverb compared a lazy person to someone asleep: they are inactive and unaware of their surroundings (Proverbs 19:15).

Some people prefer to sleep rather than face reality. A common symptom of severe depression is unusual sleepiness or fatigue. But the reality is that God-honoring work is both therapeutic and essential. The apostle Paul actively engaged in work. Most Bible teachers believe he was a tentmaker. Acts 20:33–35 quotes him as telling the elders of the church at Ephesus, "I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.""

Proverbs 20:12–30 touches on a variety of subjects as Solomon (Proverbs 10:1) wisely observes what is right and what is wrong. He censures deceit and dishonest gain but commends honesty, love, and loyalty. This section also includes common sense reminders about topics like business and hastiness.

In this section of Solomon's wise sayings (Proverbs 10:1), he again discusses a wide range of subjects. These echo many of the common themes of the book of Proverbs. Solomon warns against foolishness (Proverbs 1:7), hastiness, angering authorities, and the consequences of sin and dishonesty. Several references condemn dishonest business dealings. Others note the value of diligence in making decisions.

This chapter of Proverbs belongs to the second division of the book that extends from Proverbs chapter 10 to chapter 22, in which there are nearly 400 wise sayings. Proverbs 20 continues the collection of Solomon's wise sayings. In this chapter Solomon focuses on numerous things which harm the unwise. Among them are laziness, wrong values, and bad decisions.

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.