Proverbs 19:15

Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep.—Or rather, makes it fall upon a man, as upon Adam (Genesis 2:21).

Benson Commentary

Proverbs 19:15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep — “As labour makes men vigorous and rich, so sloth and idleness have these two miserable effects, that they insensibly sink the mind into a dull stupidity and unconcernedness about the most necessary things, and thereby reduce a man to extreme want and beggary; to which may be added a third, that they tempt him to shift and use dishonest arts for a livelihood.” — Bishop Patrick.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:14. A discreet and virtuous wife is more valuable than house and riches. 15. A sluggish, slothful disposition makes men poor; it brings them to want. And this applies both to the present life and that which is to come. 16. If we keep God's word, God's word will keep us from every thing really hurtful. We abuse the doctrine of free grace, if we think that it does away the necessity and advantage of obedience. Those that live at random must die. This truth is clearly taught in words enough to alarm the stoutest sinner. 17. God has chosen the poor of this world, to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom. 18. When parents keep under foolish tenderness, they do their best to render children a comfort to them, and happy in themselves.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Casteth into a deep sleep - Better, causeth deep sleep to fall.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

15. a deep sleep—a state of utter indifference.

idle soul—or, "person" (compare Pr 10:4; 12:24).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Casteth into a deep sleep; maketh a man careless and, negligent, and like one asleep in his business, whereby he cometh to want, as it follows.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep,.... Slothful persons are generally sleepy, and are very desirous of sleep, and indulge themselves in it; they spend their time, day and night, in sleep and drowsiness; and are quite careless and unconcerned about either their temporal or eternal good; see Proverbs 6:9;

and an idle soul shall suffer hunger; and perish with it, both in a temporal and spiritual sense: an idle person, that will not work, ought not to eat; and an idle soul, or one that is unconcerned about his soul, and the spiritual food of it, shall perish for want of it.

Geneva Study Bible

Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 15. - Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; "causes deep sleep to fall upon a man" (comp. Proverbs 6:9; Proverbs 13:4). The word for "sleep" (תַרדֵמָה, tardemah) is that used for the supernatural sleep of Adam when Eve was formed (Genesis 2:21), and implies pro. found insensibility. Aquila and Symmachus render it, ἔκστασιν, "trance." Slothfulness enervates a man, renders him as useless for labour as if he were actually asleep in his bed; it also enfeebles the mind, corrupts the higher faculties, converts a rational being into a witless animal. Otium est vivi hominis sepultura, "Idleness is a living man's tomb." An idle soul shall suffer hunger. We have many gnomes to this effect (see Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 12:24; Proverbs 20:13; Proverbs 23:21). The LXX. has introduced something of this verse at Proverbs 18:8, and here render, Δειλία κατέχει ἀνδρόγυνον, "Cowardice holdeth fast the effeminate, and the soul of the idle shall hunger." "Sloth," as the proverb says, "is the mother of poverty." Proverbs 19:15

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

15 Slothfulness sinketh into deep sleep,

     And an idle soul must hunger.

Regarding תּרדּמה and its root-word רדם, vid., at Proverbs 10:5. הפּיל, to befall, to make to get, is to be understood after Genesis 3:21; the obj. על־האדם, viz., העצל, is naturally to be supplied. In 15b the fut. denotes that which will certainly happen, the inevitable. In both of its members the proverb is perfectly clear; Hitzig, however, corrects 15a, and brings out of it the meaning, "slothfulness gives tasteless herbs to eat." The lxx has two translations of this proverb, here and at Proverbs 18:8. That it should translate רמיה by ἀνδρόγυνος was necessary, as Lagarde remarks, for the exposition of the "works of a Hebrew Sotades." But the Hebrew literature never sunk to such works, wallowing in the mire of sensuality, and ἀνδρόγυνος is not at all thus enigmatical; the Greek word was also used of an effeminate man, a man devoid of manliness, a weakling, and was, as the lxx shows, more current in the Alexandrine Greek than elsewhere.