Proverbs 26:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

NIV: A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

NASB: A lazy one buries his hand in the dish; He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.

CSB: The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!

NLT: Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.

KJV: The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

NKJV: The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

Here is another exaggerated statement used by Solomon (Proverbs 25:1) to criticize unproductive behavior. Few people are literally so lazy that they won't even put food in their mouths. The idea is sometimes seen in comedy, again as an exaggerated joke. One of the dangers of laziness is reputation: a person known for being lazy is likely going to be mocked and disrespected for their lack of effort.

Practically, laziness is dangerous and expensive. Those who lay around without working put themselves at much greater risk of poverty (Proverbs 6:9, 11). It may seem easier in the short term, but as a lifestyle it leads to disaster (Proverbs 20:4; 23:21).

Christian believers can exhibit laziness in spiritual matters. They may choose not to put effort into spiritual growth and miss out on rewards as a result (1 Corinthians 9:24–27). The world can tempt Christians to ignore study of the Bible or work in church activities. Even prayer can be crowded out by laziness (1 Thessalonians 5:17). So can church attendance, which is not always extremely convenient (Hebrews10:24–25). Giving to the work of the gospel can also suffer when it's thought of as too great a sacrifice of hard-earned money (1 Corinthians 16:2). Keeping the imagery of this proverb, those too lazy to practice spiritual discipline will spiritually starve.

Proverbs 26:13–16 turns to the topic of laziness. The "sluggard" is depicted as reluctant to leave his house, preferring to stay in bed. Using poetic exaggeration, Solomon (Proverbs 25:1) pictures this person as so lifeless that they can't bring their hand out of a dish to eat food. As with those who are arrogant, the lazy person may refuse wisdom, convincing themselves that their way is better.

This chapter includes three main sections. The first repeatedly refers to a "fool," meaning someone lacking godly wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). The second warns against being lazy. The third condemns careless conflict, lying, and warns about those who disguise their hate with words. Several statements in this passage repeat or echo others made in the book of Proverbs.

Chapter 25 introduced another section of Solomon's proverbs (Proverbs 25:1). These were collected by later scribes; the list runs through the end of chapter 29. This chapter covers topics such as foolishness, laziness, and conflict. This echoes principles given in other proverbs.

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.