King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Whoever is lazy in doing his work is brother to the destroyer.
Berean Standard Bible:
Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.
American Standard Version:
He also that is slack in his work Is brother to him that is a destroyer.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
He also that is slothful{H7503} in his work{H4399} is brother{H251} to him that is a great{H1167} waster{H7843}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Proverbs 10:4
- ¶ He becometh poor that dealeth [with] a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Hebrews 6:12
- That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Proverbs 23:20
- Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Proverbs 23:21
- For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags.
Proverbs 24:30
- ¶ I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Proverbs 24:34
- So shall thy poverty come [as] one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
Matthew 25:26
- His lord answered and said unto him, [Thou] wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
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Commentary for Proverbs 18:9
Proverbs 18:9 is a verse from the Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible, which reflects the values and ethics of ancient Israelite society. The verse reads: "He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." In this proverb, the theme revolves around the concept of diligence versus laziness, and the consequences associated with each.
The verse equates a slothful (lazy) person with someone who squanders resources, suggesting that both behaviors are destructive and akin to one another. In the historical context, the Israelites valued hard work and responsible stewardship of resources, as these were essential for survival and prosperity in an agrarian society where the community's well-being was often tied to the productivity of its members.
The slothful individual, by being lazy, fails to contribute to the community and risks the loss of what has been entrusted to them, just as a great waster recklessly depletes resources without regard for the future. The proverb serves as a moral lesson, warning against the dangers of inactivity and wastefulness, and emphasizing the importance of industriousness and prudent management of one's duties and possessions. It reflects a broader biblical theme that hard work and careful use of resources are virtuous and pleasing to God, and that such behavior is integral to a well-functioning and righteous community.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7503
There are 45 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָפָה
Transliteration: râphâh
Pronunciation: raw-faw'
Description: a primitive root; to slacken (in many applications, literal or figurative); abate, cease, consume, draw (toward evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful, (be) weak(-en). See רָפָא. - Strong's Number: H4399
There are 149 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מְלָאכָה
Transliteration: mᵉlâʼkâh
Pronunciation: mel-aw-kaw'
Description: from the same as מֲלְאָךְ; properly, deputyship, i.e. ministry; generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or concretely); also property (as the result of labor); business, [phrase] cattle, [phrase] industrious, occupation, ([phrase] -pied), [phrase] officer, thing (made), use, (manner of) work((-man), -manship). - Strong's Number: H251
There are 636 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָח
Transliteration: ʼâch
Pronunciation: awkh
Description: a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father)); another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'. - Strong's Number: H1167
There are 78 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּעַל
Transliteration: baʻal
Pronunciation: bah'-al
Description: from בָּעַל; a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense); [phrase] archer, [phrase] babbler, [phrase] bird, captain, chief man, [phrase] confederate, [phrase] have to do, [phrase] dreamer, those to whom it is due, [phrase] furious, those that are given to it, great, [phrase] hairy, he that hath it, have, [phrase] horseman, husband, lord, man, [phrase] married, master, person, [phrase] sworn, they of. - Strong's Number: H7843
There are 136 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁחַת
Transliteration: shâchath
Pronunciation: shaw-khath'
Description: a primitive root; to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively); batter, cast off, corrupt(-er, thing), destroy(-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, [idiom] utterly, waste(-r).