Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. Sermons
I. ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH AND RECTITUDE. (Ver. 2.) The former cannot avert sudden death or shame (vers. 25, 27); the latter is vital, and stands the man in good stead in every hour of human trial, and of Divine judgment. II. HONEST POVERTY AND PROFLIGATE GREED. (Ver. 3.) The former does not hunger, is contented with little, has true satisfaction. The latter is never satisfied, expands with every indulgence, is like the "dire dropsy." It is an unappeasable thirst. God repudiates it by fixing it in perpetual impotency, while the temperate and chastened doilies are rewarded by fulfilment. III. THE LAX AND THE INDUSTRIOUS HAND. (Ver. 4; comp. Proverbs 12:24.) The one leading to poverty, the other to fiches. Languor and energy have their physical conditions; but how much lies in the will? We live in a day when it is the fashion to talk of "determinism," and to extend the doctrine of "causes over which we have no control" beyond all reasonable limits. We need to fall back on the healthy common sense of mankind, and on the doctrine of these proverbs. There is a moral question involved. Laziness is immoral, and receives the condemnation of immorality; industry is a virtue, and brings its own reward in every sphere. The opposition is amplified in ver. 5; active forethought being contrasted with supine indifference. The hard field labour referred to belongs particularly to young men; and to young men idleness is peculiarly corrupting. IV. ASSOCIATIONS OF BLESSING AND THOSE OF VIOLENCE. (Ver. 6.) However the verse may be rendered and interpreted, this is the opposition. Blessing leads the mind through such a series of associated ideas as peace, tranquillity, order, security; violence through a contrasted series - trouble, disquiet, disorder, and all that implies a curse. V. BRIGHT AND DARK RECOLLECTIONS. (Ver. 7.) The good man lives in thankful memories; the bad man's name is like an ill odour, according to the literal meaning of the Hebrew word. When the saying is quoted, The ill men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones," we should recall by whom this was said, or feigned to be said, and for what purpose. In the memory of Caesar's ambition Antony is afraid the Romans will forget his services. Momentarily good may be forgotten, but ultlmately must come to recognition and honour. The course of time illustrates the worth of the good, and enhances the odium of evil memories. - J.
The hand of the diligent maketh rich. Our life is dependent on our industry. It is good for man that he should have to labour. Were God to do all, We should truly leave Him to do it, not caring to co-operate with the Divine Husbandman in the culture of the field of life. By the "diligent" we are to understand the nimble-handed — those who are active and agile, who will lose nothing for want of rising early and peering about in the darkness if they may but catch a glimpse even of an outline of things. The persons referred to in the text are those who take account of microscopic matters — they are particular about the smallest coins, about moments and minutes, about so-called secondary engagements and plans. The true business man lives in the midst of his business. We are not far from the sanctuary of God when we are listening to such proverbs as these.(J. Parker, D.D.) II. THE SOUL OF THE ONE SEIZES OPPORTUNITIES, THE OTHER NEGLECTS THEM. The industrious man makes opportunities. He does the work of the season. The other lets opportunities pass. He "sleepeth in harvest." III. THE DESTINY OF THE ONE IS PROSPERITY, THAT OF THE OTHER RUIN. The man in the gospel who employed his talents got the "Well done!" of his Master and the ruler-ship over many things. Laziness everywhere brings ruin. "Drowsiness clothes man in rags." (D. Thomas, D.D.) (W. Arnot, D. D.) Lazy hand. Sloth is the mother of poverty. Or the words may be rendered the hand of deceit. Without diligence honesty can scarcely be expected. Next unto virtue let children be trained up to industry, for both poverty and fraud are commonly the effect of sloth.(B. E. Nicholls, M.A.) A connection exists between the bounty of God and the duty of man. All things are of God, and our dependence upon Him is absolute and imperative. There is a perfect accordance between the established law of nature and the law of grace. The former of these combines a dependence upon God for daily subsistence with the necessity of effort to procure it. The latter tells us, and insists upon it, that while by grace we are saved through faith which is the gift of God, we are nevertheless to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling."I. APPLY SENTIMENT OF TEXT TO THE ORDINARY AFFAIRS OF LIFE. With respect to temporal blessings. The purposes of God are never carried into effect without the use of those means by which they are intended to be accomplished. The application of these means is indispensable to the attainment of the end. If we neglect these, it will be worse than folly to hope for any blessing. What are the appointed means by which a beneficent providence supplies the temporal wants of man? 1. Diligence or industry. An unoccupied and idle man countervails all the laws both of his animal and intellectual frame and wages war upon every organ of his material structure. The law of industry is a benevolent law. If you would make a man miserable, let him have nothing to do. Idleness is the nursery of crime. 2. Economy. He who wastes what providence gives him may not complain of it being with-held or withdrawn. Nature and observation are constantly reading us this lesson. In all that God does there is nothing lost, nothing thrown away, nothing but what is designed for some useful purpose. Every natural substance that does not retain its original form passes into some other that is equally important in its way. There is no example of the entire destruction of anything in the universe. The Lord Jesus did not deem it mean to be frugal. Meanness is more justly chargeable to waste and prodigality. He that is regardless of little things will be very apt to be careless of those that are greater. 3. A sacred regard to the Lord's day. If a man would make the most of human life, to say nothing of the life to come, he must be a conscientious observer of this consecrated day. Other collateral means are, a sacred regard to truth, honesty in every transaction, rectitude and integrity of character. II. APPLY SENTIMENT OF THE TEXT TO THE INTERESTS OF THE SOUL. Many events may transpire which will frustrate the most diligent in their enterprise. Sickness, infirmity, calamity, treachery. But it is never so in the case of the soul. There is an opulence in the Divine benignity which satisfies the desire of every praying spirit. Note there is a certainty in the promise. Labour for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life shall be rewarded in the issue to the extent of our largest expectations. And at the last his joy will be full. He has gained the true riches and is rich indeed. (J. Everitt.) I. The industrious man ACCOMPLISHES VERY MANY THINGS WHICH ARE PROFITABLE TO HIMSELF AND OTHERS IN NUMBERLESS RESPECTS. How many of his own wants and those of others does he not thus relieve! How many sources of welfare does he not open to himself and others!II. If the industrious man executes many useful matters, HE EXECUTES THEM WITH FAR MORE EASE AND DEXTERITY THAN IF HE WERE NOT INDUSTRIOUS. He has no need of any long previous contest with himself. He understands, he loves the work; has a certain confidence in himself, and is more or less sure of success. III. The industrious man unfolds, exercises, PERFECTS HIS POWERS; NOT ONLY HIS MECHANICAL, BUT ALSO HIS NOBLER, HIS MENTAL POWERS. IV. The industrious man lives in the true, intimate, ENTIRE CONSCIOUSNESS OF HIMSELF, AND OF THAT WHICH HE IS AND DOES. He actually rejoices in his life, his faculties, his endowments, his time. V. The industrious man, who is so from principle and inclination, EXPERIENCES NEITHER LANGUOR NOR IRKSOMENESS. Never are his faculties, never is his time, a burden to him. VI. The industrious man has A FAR GREATER RELISH FOR EVERY INNOCENT PLEASURE, FOR EVERY RELAXATION, THAT HE ENJOYS. He alone properly knows the pleasure of rest. VII. The industrious man ALONE FULFILS THE DESIGN FOR WHICH HE IS PLACED ON EARTH, and may say so to himself, and may in the consciousness of it be contented and cheerful. (G. J. Zollikofer.) People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Becomes, Becometh, Bring, Brings, Causes, Dealeth, Diligent, Gets, Hands, Lazy, Makes, Maketh, Negligent, Poor, Poverty, Ready, Rich, Slack, Slothful, Slow, Wealth, Worker, Worketh, Working, WorksOutline 1. Proverbs of Solomon: observations of moral virtues, and their contrary vicesDictionary of Bible Themes Proverbs 10:4 5156 hand 5539 sluggard Library The Two-Fold Aspect of the Divine Working'The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.'--PROVERBS x. 29. You observe that the words 'shall be,' in the last clause, are a supplement. They are quite unnecessary, and in fact they rather hinder the sense. They destroy the completeness of the antithesis between the two halves of the verse. If you leave them out, and suppose that the 'way of the Lord' is what is spoken of in both clauses, you get a far deeper and fuller meaning. 'The way … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Folly of Slander. Part 1. The Folly of Slander. Part 2. Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental. The Desire of the Righteous Granted; Lii. Trust in God. The Death and the Raising of Lazarus - the Question of Miracles and of this Miracle of Miracles - views of Negative Criticism on this History The Christian's Hope Letter xxxi (A. D. 1132) to the Abbot of a Certain Monastery at York, from which the Prior had Departed, Taking Several Religious with Him. The Poor in Spirit are Enriched with a Kingdom The Heavenly Footman; Or, a Description of the Man that Gets to Heaven: How the Simple and the Crafty are to be Admonished. Letter xv (Circa A. D. 1129) to Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin Jesus Heals Multitudes Beside the Sea of Galilee. How the Silent and the Talkative are to be Admonished. "But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, and all These Things Shall be Added unto You. " Proverbs Links Proverbs 10:4 NIVProverbs 10:4 NLT Proverbs 10:4 ESV Proverbs 10:4 NASB Proverbs 10:4 KJV Proverbs 10:4 Bible Apps Proverbs 10:4 Parallel Proverbs 10:4 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 10:4 Chinese Bible Proverbs 10:4 French Bible Proverbs 10:4 German Bible Proverbs 10:4 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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