Proverbs 20:4
WEB
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
BSB
The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
KJV
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H2779
n-m — crop gathered, autumn, season, ripeness of age
Derivation: from 2778;
properly, the crop gathered, i.e. (by implication) the autumn (and winter) season; figuratively, ripeness of age
KJV: cold, winter (-house), youth.
n.m — harvest-time
חֹ֫רֶף n.m. harvest-time, autumn
H6102
a — indolent
Derivation: from 6101;
indolent
KJV: slothful, sluggard.
adj — sluggish
עָצֵל 14 adj. sluggish, lazy
H3808
adv — not, no
Derivation: or לוֹא; or לֹה; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
KJV: × before, or else, ere, except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, surely, as truly as, of a truth, verily, for want, whether, without.
adv — not
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
H2790
v — scratch, engrave, plough, fabricate, devise, be silent, let alone, be deaf
Derivation: a primitive root;
to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense); hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone; hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of dumbness)
KJV: × altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise, ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace, plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue, worker.
vb — be silent
[חָרֵשׁ] vb. 1. be silent, dumb, speechless; 2. be deaf; chiefly poet.
Qal
1. be silent, alw. of God’s keeping silence when men pray
2. be deaf
Hiph.
1. be silent (= exhibit silence)
2. once causat. make silent
3. be deaf, shew deafness
vb — cut in
[חָרַשׁ] vb. cut in, engrave, plough, devise
Qal
1. cut in, engrave
2. plough
3. devise
Niph. Zion, as a field she shall be ploughed
Hiph. fabricating mischief against
H7592
v — inquire, request, demand
Derivation: or שָׁאֵל; a primitive root;
to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand
KJV: ask (counsel, on), beg, borrow, lay to charge, consult, demand, desire, × earnestly, enquire, greet, obtain leave, lend, pray, request, require, salute, × straitly, × surely, wish.
vb — ask
שָׁאַל 170 vb. ask, inquire
Qal
1.
a. ask, ask for
b. specif. ask as a fovour, for temporary use, i.e. borrow
c. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)
2.
a. inquire of
b. inquire of, consult, deity, oracle, etc.
c. in weakened sense, seek, desire (late)
Niph. ask for oneself
Pi.
1. inquire carefully
2. beg, practise beggary
Hiph. (prop. let one ask [successfully], give, or lend, on request, then) grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)
H7105
n-m — severed, harvest, crop, time, reaper, limb
Derivation: from 7114;
severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the time, the reaper, or figuratively; also a limb (of a tree, or simply foliage)
KJV: bough, branch, harvest (man).
n.m — harvesting
קָצִיר n.m. harvesting, harvest
1. process of harvesting
2. what is reaped, harvested, crop
3. time of harvest
n.m — boughs
קָצִיר n.m. usually coll., boughs, branches
H369
np — nonentity
Derivation: as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist;
a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle
KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
subst — nothing
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
1. to nothing, as nothing
2. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
3. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
4. in circumst. clauses
5. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
6. with prefixes
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Verse 4
Proverbs 20:4
See here the evil of slothfulness and the love of ease. 1. It keeps men from the most necessary business, from ploughing and sowing when the season is: The sluggard has ground to occupy, and has ability for it; he can plough, but he will not; some excuse or other he has to shift it off, but the true reason is that it is cold weather. Though ploughing time is not in the depth of winter, it is in the borders of winter, when he thinks it too cold for him to be abroad. Those are scandalously sluggish who, in the way of their business, cannot find in their hearts to undergo so little toil as that of ploughing and so little hardship as that of a cold blast. Thus careless are many in the affairs of their souls; a trifling difficulty will frighten them from the most important duty; but good soldiers must endure hardness. 2. Thereby it deprives them of the most necessary supports: Those that will not plough in seed-time cannot expect to reap in harvest; and therefore they must beg their bread with astonishment when the diligent are bringing home their sheaves with joy. He that will not submit to the labour of ploughing must submit to the shame of begging. They shall beg in harvest, and yet have nothing; no, not then when there is great plenty. Though it may be charity to relieve sluggards, yet a man may, in justice, not relieve them; they deserve to be left to starve. Those that would not provide oil in their vessels begged when the bridegroom came, and were denied.