The Book of Proverbs contains two parables of the sluggard, which are linked together by a common ending:
- “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which, having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, 0 sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man” (Proverbs 6:6-11).
- “I went by the field of the slothful (man), and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man” (Proverbs 24:30-34).
It is interesting to note that the Septuagint version adds to the advice to the sluggard counsel to take note of the bee as well as the ant:
“Or go to the bee: and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labors kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all, although weak in body she is advanced by honoring wisdom” (Proverbs 6:9).
The case against sloth is argued from two points of view. First, the value of its opposing virtue, industry, is illustrated by an appeal to insect activities. The ants have no husbandry and are under no compulsion, yet they have worked out a social system which is perfectly adjusted. Some species of ants have their kings and queens, and some a slave system, all working with the aim of laying up in the summer the food which will be needed in the winter. It is interesting to recall that the statement in Chapter 6:8 that the ant “gathereth her food in the harvest” was once regarded as a Bible inaccuracy, since, it was said, ants did not do this. Later, however, a species of ant was found which does exactly what the Scriptures affirm. The reference to the bee in the Septuagint may not be authentic, but it reinforces and extends the lesson of the ant. The social activities of the bees are even more highly organized than those of the ants. Although puny creatures, their instinctive wisdom is such that not only do they provide for their own needs, but human beings from kings to peasants are helped by their industry, and, in turn, respect them. Thus the sluggard is advised to learn from these ceaseless insect exertions that, by forsaking his slothfulness, he will not only help himself, but will be of assistance to others also.
From the other point of view, the penalties of laziness are stressed. The figure chosen is expressive, for the result of idleness is nowhere more conclusively manifest than when it relates to the cultivation of the land. A neglected garden is a pitiable sight. The luxuriance of nature, designed to provide for the needs of men, when left uncontrolled, runs riot and fills all the ground with noxious growths. Everything is overborne and mastered by it, and desolation becomes complete. Nor is the damage limited to that particular garden. The seeds from its weeds are spread all around, and the task of the owners of the neighboring gardens in keeping their plot free of weeds is made many times more difficult. Garden, vineyard and field exact a heavy toll for neglect, and are at once unsightly and a menace to other cultivation’s.
The setting and details of the second parable are all built up to give the utmost force to its lessons. Early rising is the work of the land, and the requirement is not obviated by the use of mechanical aids designed to reduce labor. In hot countries it is especially important to start work almost as soon as it is light, because the mid-day heat renders a siesta essential, and nightfall comes suddenly, with little twilight.
The sluggard’s failure is attributed to two causes: laziness and ignorance, and this is brought out in verse 30 where the first word for man (slothful man) is different from the second (man void of understanding). The former relates to an individual, but the latter is a general term. The sluggard is the kind of man who is ignorant. His main fault arises from his indolence and love of ease, but he also seems unable to realize how rapid and inevitable is the destruction that will follow his inactivity. In the figure of Bunyan, “Sloth has a better head than Simple, but does not use it.” Consequently, when the slothful man looks for fruit he finds not merely that there is no fruit, but that, instead, thorns and nettles abound and that his protecting wall has fallen down.
The attitude of the sluggard is knowingly described. Generally, the words of Watts are true: ” ‘Tis the voice of the sluggard, I heard him complain, You have waked me too soon, I must slumber again.” But the “slumbering again” is not a single act. It is a progression — a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; a dozing, a nap, a deep slumber. As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.”
The penalty for refusing to learn the lesson in each parable is the same. Poverty and want are inescapable. Neither of them is long delayed, nor do they come gently. Poverty enters as one that travelleth, or, as the original implies, ravaging. This idea is carried forward to the simile for want, which is compared to an armed man, a robber or a highwayman. Hebrew readers would also observe a play upon words between the word “void” or “lacking” in verse 30, which is the Hebrew word “Chasar” and the word “want” in verse 34 which in Hebrew is “machsor”. Both of these words are from the same root “chaser”. So, disregarding the danger of trying to transfer a pun from one language to another, the idea would be, ”Thy lacking (poverty) is because of thy lacking (of understanding).” Hebrew writers were very partial to devices of this nature.
The two parables plainly have a powerful lesson for our everyday activities, but they are not merely maxims to secure freedom from want. An Arab proverb points out that sloth and much sleep remove from God as well as bringing on poverty, and the spiritual lesson is the more important. Sloth in the service of God is worse than sloth in one’s business. Our lives are gardens, fields, and vineyards entrusted to us to endeavor to make them beautiful with the blossoms of holiness and productive with the fruits of righteousness. Our toil to these ends must be as unremitting as the work of the social insects. Indolence can lead only to speedy disaster, for spiritual poverty and affliction are already on the way to attack us as soon as our vigilance is relaxed. Thorns and nettles choking spiritual growth will soon appear; noxious weeds will strangle all progress; finally, our defenses will be down, and our unprofitableness will appear unto all. How well the progression of the Book of Proverbs is exemplified in the experience of the spiritual sluggard: a doze, a nap, a deep sleep — initial failure, flagrant sin, hopeless disaster!
The great tragedy is that the slothful servant is not really ignorant of the consequences of his folly. Even in his indolence he knows the dangers of procrastination, but he hopes that judgment may be long postponed. Yet laziness of this type is one of the most serious foes to the believer, and many are subject to it who would never indulge in open sin and rebellion against God. When the truth is revealed on judgment day it will probably become apparent that, while positive sin has slain its thousands, sheer indolent neglect has slain its ten thousands. This aspect of our relations with God was clearly before the Lord Jesus when He spoke the three great parables recorded in the 25th chapter of Matthew. The criticism brought against those of whom the parables are spoken is not that they did not know, but that they did know, and, in various ways, did not act. The foolish virgins knew they must have lamps, and had them, but they were too lazy to provide oil, trusting that everything would somehow be all right when the time for use came. But when the bridegroom arrived they trimmed their lamps in vain. The man of one talent understood well that something was expected of him, but he was afraid of the magnitude of his task and neglected to rise to it. Those on the left hand side in the judgment will not be able to plead that they did not know that it was their duty to entertain strangers, to clothe the naked and to minister to those who were sick or in prison. They will only be able to stand helplessly by and to realize that, while they were idling, half asleep, waiting for some notable and spectacular opportunity to do good to arise, they allowed a host of smaller occasions to pass by. So the foolish virgins found the door locked; the one-talent man lost even the talent that he had; and those of the left-hand discovered themselves disowned. The condemnation by Jesus of the man who hid his talent is applicable to the individuals of each group: ”Thou wicked and slothful servant!”
Nor must we lose sight of the effect of slothfulness and industry on others. The weeds from the neglected garden poison the neighboring gardens. So does the attitude of the spiritual sluggard do harm to his neighbors. When the two sons of Eli adopted their own methods to ensure that they received the best of the flesh offered by the people, Eli, instead of taking urgent steps to end the scandal, remonstrated indolently and gently with his boys. His perfunctory endeavors were ignored, and hence, by his lack of resolution, “men abhorred the offering of the Lord.”
On the other hand, the lesson of the insects is that industry and diligence have benefits which are not limited to those who practice them. The example of the man who is keen and obviously devoted in his service to God is infectious, and frequently he raises considerably the spiritual temperature of those about him. One sinner may destroy much good, but one man moved by zeal, tinctured with knowledge, can undo many evils. Let us, therefore, as we consider the wisdom of the Proverb-master, realize both the dangers of indolence and the endless opportunities of instructed enthusiasm. His sage counsel is emphasized by the New Testament: “Be ye not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12), and “(Be) not slothful in business; (but) fervent in spirit; serving the Lord . . (Romans 12:11).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One