Introduction
Proverbs 6:6–11 warns that laziness can lead to poverty and need. The author suggests learning basic work ethics from ants to improve one’s livelihood. By learning from the ant and emphasizing self-motivation, self-initiation, discipline, and diligence in one’s work, one can overcome laziness and move toward provision, possession, and prosperity.
The scripture we’re examining is Proverbs 6:6–11.
Proverbs 6:6–11 (NKJV) 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep — 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,And your need like an armed man.
Who is a Sluggard?
The main audience the author addresses in this passage from Proverbs 6:6–11 is the sluggard.
The word sluggard appears in the Hebraic sense (H6102) as indolent and slothful. It appears in Proverbs about six times (Proverbs 6:6, Proverbs 6:9, Proverbs 10:26, Proverbs 13:4, Proverbs 20:4, Proverbs 26:16). The focus is on Proverbs chapter 6, where the word appears twice, and the passage warns and instructs such a person.
The sluggard is a repeated figure in Proverbs, commonly called the slothful. In Proverbs, the terms ‘sluggard’ and ‘slothful’ are used interchangeably to refer to a lazy individual. A sluggard is someone habitually lazy, affected by slothfulness. Essentially, a sluggard is a lazy and sluggish person.
Causes: What Does a Sluggard Do?
The root of the sluggard’s laziness lies in persistent indecision, inaction, and ingrained habits of resting. Wasting time by doing nothing in your life is essentially wasting life itself.
The author poses two questions to the sluggard about time and inaction: “How long will you slumber?” and “When will you rise from your sleep?”
Proverbs 6:9 (NKJV) How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?
The author now explains the sluggard’s laziness through specific actions.
Proverbs 6:10 (NKJV A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep —
Proverbs 24:33 (NKJV) 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest;
The sluggard’s actions are the cause of his laziness: First, he sleeps and slumbers. Second, he folds his hands to sleep. He engages in habits such as sleeping, dozing off, and folding his hands to rest. He may see this as a quick nap, but ultimately it leads to doing nothing. The main issue is that laziness arises from choosing rest over work when it’s time to work. Instead of working, the sluggard opts to rest, avoiding effort altogether. His behaviour is marked by wasting time and inaction, favouring sleep over labour.
This love of sleep is also noted in Proverbs 26:14 and 24:33. While rest isn’t wrong, it’s misplaced when work needs to be done. Rest benefits the diligent, but for the sluggard, it hinders progress. Folding the hands symbolizes refusal to work, a common theme in Proverbs, where hands stand for labour (see Proverbs 10:4, 19:24, 21:25). The sluggard also tends to delay tasks, procrastinating until another day (see Proverbs 10:4, 21:25–26, 24:33). These traits define the lazy lifestyle of the sluggard.
Consequences: What Happens to a Sluggard
What will be the result of the sluggard’s refusal to work? The result stems from internal factors, specifically his own decisions, actions, and efforts, rather than external influences.
Proverbs 6:11 (NKJV) 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
Proverbs 24:34 (NKJV) 34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
The ultimate fate of the sluggard is poverty and severe need. His laziness and idleness lead to poverty, which is likened to a robber or an armed attacker. Poverty and need strike suddenly, ruthlessly and unforgivingly, much like an assault by an armed person. The need that arises will feel like an invincible attacker, catching the sluggard unprepared for the onslaught.
The sluggard will possess or gain nothing for themselves. Without working in this life, one cannot have food (see 2 Thessalonians 3:10). Poverty and need, much like an aggressive opponent, teach the lazy individual how serious and detrimental laziness can be to their livelihood. People often refuse to support someone who is deliberately and habitually lazy. Laziness causes poverty and need, and it is an internal factor of poverty that only the individual can change.
Coming out of Being a Sluggard
Laziness can cause poverty and need, but the Bible offers a solution in Proverbs 6:7–11. Solomon, the author, advises the sluggard to emulate the ant, which is referenced twice — once in Proverbs 6:7–8 and again in 30:25. In these passages, ants represent wisdom and diligent effort. Let’s look closer at how the ant is depicted in the following verses.
Proverbs 6:7–8 (NKJV) 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.
Proverbs 30:25 (NKJV) 5 The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
From the verses above, we can identify the following points.
The first point is that ants work as a team, with no need for leadership (captain, overseer, or ruler). They carry out their life’s work without being told what to do or forced to do so by a boss looking over their shoulder, and without any supervision. This shows that the ant takes initiative and works hard with discipline, which the sluggard lacks.
The second point is that the ant supplies her bread in summer, showing planning and preparation for the future through careful sowing during the planting season.
The third point is that the ant gathers food during harvest, symbolizing timing, reaping, and foresight. Ants gather during harvest and provide during summer, illustrating the wisdom of working when the time is right. There are seasons in life for sowing and reaping. The ant works in summer and stores food for later, exemplifying the importance of working in the correct season and gathering food at the appropriate time.
A key observation about ants is that they have foresight. They believe in one another and work together in an amazing order and system of organization. They work quietly and tirelessly until the work is done.
Proverbs 6:6–8 (NKJV) 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.
The instructions to the sluggard are to learn from the ant. God has placed wisdom in nature, in plants and animals, for us humans to learn from and apply in our lives. The Bible teaches this so that humans can learn from nature and the animal kingdom, as stated in Job 12:7–8.
Learning wisdom about work and wealth from the lowly ant.
Ants may be small and not physically strong, but they exemplify wisdom through their work ethic, management, and teamwork. As a symbol of industry in the East, ants are among the hardest-working insects, demonstrating effective collaboration despite their tiny size.
The first instruction from the author is for the sluggard to go to the ant, to be humble enough to learn from a small creature, and to take the initiative to act on it. The second instruction is for the sluggard to consider the ways of the ant, meaning to observe the ant’s work ethic and diligence.
Proverbs 24:32 (NKJV) 32 When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction:
As recommended by the author, the purpose of going to the ant and considering her ways is for the sluggard to become wise. The entire book of Proverbs is about wisdom — wise, practical, and productive living. The ant’s wisdom to learn from is not mere busyness but foresight and planning ahead.
How does the ant serve as a practical and productive example for the sluggard? We can observe the ant’s strong work ethic. The first key lesson is teamwork, emphasizing the value and influence of collaboration and partnership. The second is diligence, which involves working hard to achieve meaningful results now and using smart planning to prepare for the future.
Summary
Once the sluggard observes the ant’s hard work, it becomes clear that diligence and intelligence in one’s efforts are essential to success. The right path from poverty to prosperity is through hard, smart work, which yields provision and possessions. In essence, hard and smart work is a pathway to wealth creation.
Proverbs 10:4 (NKJV) 4 He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
By Brahim M. Kallon (Wisdom Grace)
