The Meaning of Proverbs 20:4 Explained

Proverbs 20:4

KJV: The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

YLT: Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.

Darby: The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

ASV: The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; Therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The sluggard  will not plow  by reason of the cold;  [therefore] shall he beg  {08675;07592:08799} in harvest,  and [have] nothing. 

What does Proverbs 20:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 20:1-15 - Sobriety Industry Honesty
Strong drink is the greatest of all foes to human happiness. It gains an influence over men by fair promises, but when once it is entrenched, it mocks at the misery of its abject slave. It promises strength for the arm, joy for the heart, brilliance for the mind; but those fair promises are not kept, and the end is impotence, misery, and imbecility. Let each reader of these words henceforth utterly abjure it!
The sluggard is depicted throughout this book to stir us to diligent industry. After all, it is not by great gifts but by patient persistence that men succeed. Indeed, the highest genius is left behind by the careful plodder, if the one lacks and the other possesses this invaluable quality. "Diligent in business, serving the Lord."
All our life lies open to the eye of God. He is closely acquainted with the transactions of the bank, the office, the ledger, and the weights in the store. No lapse from perfect honesty escapes his notice; and for every act of deception there is an inevitable Nemesis. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 20

1  Proper Living

What do the individual words in Proverbs 20:4 mean?

Because of winter the lazy [man] not will plow - He will beg during harvest and [have] nothing
מֵ֭חֹרֶף עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־ יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ [ישאל] (וְשָׁאַ֖ל) בַּקָּצִ֣יר וָאָֽיִן

מֵ֭חֹרֶף  Because  of  winter 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹרֶף  
Sense: harvest time, autumn.
עָצֵ֣ל  the  lazy  [man] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָצֵל  
Sense: sluggish, lazy.
יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ  will  plow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרַשׁ 
Sense: to cut in, plough, engrave, devise.
[ישאל]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
(וְשָׁאַ֖ל)  He  will  beg 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
בַּקָּצִ֣יר  during  harvest 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָצִיר 
Sense: harvest, harvesting.
וָאָֽיִן  and  [have]  nothing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.