Proverbs 6:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

NIV: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--

NASB: 'A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest,'

CSB: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,

NLT: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest —

KJV: Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

NKJV: A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep—

This passage warns against the dangers of laziness, contrasting it with the positive example of the ant (Proverbs 6:6–9). Those who are lazy are depicted as excessively sleeping, which is often used as a symbol of irresponsibility. The end of this section warns that laziness puts a person at risk when they fall into hard times (Proverbs 6:11). Here, Solomon points out that tolerating even a little laziness is risky: what starts off as "a little" can become a crippling habit.

Perhaps the lazy person depicted here plans to work after a little more sleep, but he is fooling himself. He soon falls into a deep, prolonged sleep and never goes to work. Or he habitually avoids work and gets behind. The risk involved here is the loss of preparation. When hard times strike, there is no opportunity to "make up" for those lost hours. A person can work ahead to prepare for a crisis (Proverbs 6:8) but cannot go back in time to recover wasted opportunity.

In the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus was agonizing in prayer and anticipating His crucifixion, His disciples were supposed to be praying but were sleeping. When Jesus found them sleeping a third time instead of watching and praying, as He had commanded them to do, He told them, "Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand" (Matthew 26:45–46).

Proverbs 6:6–11 turns Solomon's attention to the subject of laziness. The term translated here as "sluggard" or "slacker" implies something more than being unmotivated; it also includes irresponsibility and laziness. Such persons put themselves at risk of ruin. Even if they can get by, in the present, a lack of preparation means they will not survive a crisis. In contrast, Solomon suggests the example of the ant: a creature who works diligently and is therefore able to endure harder times.

This chapter provides teaching on two aspects of wealth management. The first is avoiding putting one's property in debt for the sake of some other person's risky investment. The other warns against laziness, indicating that it puts a person at risk for sudden ruin. Solomon then poetically explains attitudes and actions which God finds especially repulsive. Next, Solomon returns to the subject of adultery. He reiterates the inherent risks of sexual immorality, including the catastrophic consequences which it brings. That lesson continues into the following chapter.

This chapter of Proverbs continues the wise sayings Solomon addresses to his son. In chapter 5 he addresses adultery and marriage. In this chapter he addresses financial matters, work ethics, characteristics and conduct the Lord despises, and sexual immorality. A common theme of these lessons is to avoid the natural consequences of foolish choices. The next chapter describes the adulteress's ways and the pitfalls involved in committing adultery with her.

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.