Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! New Living Translation Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! English Standard Version Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Berean Standard Bible Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. King James Bible Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: New King James Version Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, New American Standard Bible Go to the ant, you lazy one, Observe its ways and be wise, NASB 1995 Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, NASB 1977 Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Legacy Standard Bible Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Amplified Bible Go to the ant, O lazy one; Observe her ways and be wise, Christian Standard Bible Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. Holman Christian Standard Bible Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. American Standard Version Go to the ant, thou sluggard; Consider her ways, and be wise: Contemporary English Version You lazy people can learn by watching an anthill. English Revised Version Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: GOD'S WORD® Translation Consider the ant, you lazy bum. Watch its ways, and become wise. Good News Translation Lazy people should learn a lesson from the way ants live. International Standard Version Go to the ant, you lazy man! Observe its ways and become wise. Majority Standard Bible Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. NET Bible Go to the ant, you sluggard; observe its ways and be wise! New Heart English Bible Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise; Webster's Bible Translation Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: World English Bible Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise; Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionGo to the ant, O slothful one, "" See her ways and be wise; Young's Literal Translation Go unto the ant, O slothful one, See her ways and be wise; Smith's Literal Translation Go to the ant, thou slothful one; see her ways, and be wise: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleGo to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom: Catholic Public Domain Version Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom. New American Bible Go to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom; New Revised Standard Version Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways, and be wise. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBe like the ant, consider her ways, and be wise; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Be like the ant and see her ways and learn, for there is no harvest for her, OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Go to the ant, thou sluggard; Consider her ways, and be wise; Brenton Septuagint Translation Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Warnings Against Foolishness…5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. 6Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. 7Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,… Cross References Proverbs 30:24-25 Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: / The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; Proverbs 10:4-5 Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. / He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. Proverbs 13:4 The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied. Proverbs 20:4 The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there. Proverbs 24:30-34 I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. / Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. / I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: ... Ecclesiastes 10:18 Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks. Matthew 25:26-30 ‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. / Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest. / Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. ... 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” / For we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives, accomplishing nothing, but being busybodies. / We command and urge such people by our Lord Jesus Christ to begin working quietly to earn their own living. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you. / Then you will behave properly toward outsiders, without being dependent on anyone. 1 Timothy 5:8 If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men, / because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Ephesians 4:28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need. Genesis 41:34-36 Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. / Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. / This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.” Genesis 6:21 You are also to take for yourself every kind of food that is eaten and gather it as food for yourselves and for the animals.” Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds! Treasury of Scripture Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Proverbs 1:17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. Job 12:7,8 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: … Isaiah 1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. thou Proverbs 6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Proverbs 10:26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Jump to Previous Ant Consider Hater Observe Slothful Sluggard Thought Ways Wise WorkJump to Next Ant Consider Hater Observe Slothful Sluggard Thought Ways Wise WorkProverbs 6 1. against indebtedness6. idleness 12. and mischievousness 16. seven things detestable to God 20. the blessings of obedience 25. the mischief of unfaithfulness Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; The ant is used as a model of diligence and industriousness. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, ants were often observed for their hard work and ability to prepare for the future. The term "slacker" refers to someone who is lazy or idle, a common theme in wisdom literature that warns against the dangers of laziness. The Bible frequently contrasts the diligent with the lazy, emphasizing the importance of hard work (Proverbs 10:4, Proverbs 12:24). The ant's behavior is a practical example of the virtues of foresight and preparation, which are valued in biblical teachings. observe its ways and become wise. Persons / Places / Events 1. The AntA small, industrious insect known for its diligence and ability to work collectively. In this verse, the ant serves as a model of wisdom and hard work. 2. The Sluggard A person characterized by laziness and a lack of initiative. The sluggard is admonished to learn from the ant's example. 3. Solomon Traditionally considered the author of Proverbs, Solomon was a king of Israel known for his wisdom. He uses the ant as a metaphor to teach about diligence and wisdom. Teaching Points The Value of DiligenceThe ant exemplifies the importance of hard work and preparation. Christians are encouraged to be diligent in their work, reflecting God's character. Learning from Creation God uses His creation to teach us valuable lessons. Observing the ant's behavior can inspire us to be more industrious and wise. Avoiding Laziness Laziness leads to poverty and unfulfilled potential. By emulating the ant, we can avoid the pitfalls of slothfulness. Wisdom in Preparation The ant prepares for the future, teaching us the importance of planning and foresight in our personal and spiritual lives. Community and Cooperation Ants work together for the common good, reminding us of the importance of community and cooperation in the body of Christ.Verses 6-11. - 10. Tenth admonitory discourse. Warning against sloth. The ethical connection of this discourse with the preceding has already been pointed out. Sloth militates against prosperity; it is the prolific parent of want, and, even more surely than suretyship, leads to misfortune and ruin, The certainty with which ruin steals upon the sluggard may be the reason why the teacher closes the discourse in the way he does. In the case of suretyship such an issue is uncertain; there is the possibility of escape, the surety may prevail upon his friend to release him from his obligation, and so he may escape ruin; but with sloth no such contingency is possible, its invariable end is disaster. So far as the grammatical structure of the two discourses is concerned, they appear to be quite independent of each other, the only points of coincidence observable being the repetition of one or two words, which is purely accidental (cf. "go" in vers. 3 and 6, and "sleep" and "slumber" in vers. 4 and 10). Verse 6. - Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. The ant (Hebrew, n'malah) is here brought forward as supplying an example of wisdom to the sluggard. The habits of this insect, its industry and providence, have in all ages made it the symbol of these two qualities, and not only the sacred, but also profane writers have praised its foresight, and held it up for imitation. The ant is only mentioned twice in the Old Testament, and on both occasions in our book (see present passage and Proverbs 30:25). The derivation of n'malah is either from the root nam, with reference first to the silence with which it moves, and secondly to its active yet unperceived motion (Delitzsch), or from namal, i.q. malal, "to cut off," from its cutting off or consuming seeds (ab incidendis seminibus) (Buxtorf, Gesenius). The Aramaic name, shum'sh'manah, however, points to its activity and rapid running hither and thither (Fleischer). Sluggard; Hebrew, atsel, a verbal adjective tbund only in the Proverbs. The primary idea of the root atsal is that of languor and laxity. The cognate abstract nouns ats'lah and ats'luth, equivalent to "slothfulness," occur in Proverbs 19:15; Proverbs 31:27. Consider her ways; attentively regard them, and from them derive a lesson of wisdom. Her ways are the manner in which the ant displays her industry and foresight. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Walk in the manner ofלֵֽךְ־ (lêḵ-) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk the ant, נְמָלָ֥ה (nə·mā·lāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5244: An ant O sluggard; עָצֵ֑ל (‘ā·ṣêl) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 6102: Sluggish, lazy observe רְאֵ֖ה (rə·’êh) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 7200: To see its ways דְרָכֶ֣יהָ (ḏə·rā·ḵe·hā) Noun - common plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action and be wise: וַחֲכָֽם׃ (wa·ḥă·ḵām) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 2449: To be wise Links Proverbs 6:6 NIVProverbs 6:6 NLT Proverbs 6:6 ESV Proverbs 6:6 NASB Proverbs 6:6 KJV Proverbs 6:6 BibleApps.com Proverbs 6:6 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 6:6 Chinese Bible Proverbs 6:6 French Bible Proverbs 6:6 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant you sluggard (Prov. Pro Pr) |
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