Proverbs 6:4 kjv
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Proverbs 6:4 nkjv
Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.
Proverbs 6:4 niv
Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
Proverbs 6:4 esv
Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;
Proverbs 6:4 nlt
Don't put it off; do it now!
Don't rest until you do.
Proverbs 6 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 6:1-3 | My son, if you have put up security...go, hasten...and plead with your neighbor. | Immediate context of debt/surety |
| Prov 6:5 | Deliver yourself like a gazelle...or a bird... | Follow-up command to escape the snare |
| Prov 10:4 | A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. | Contrast with diligence leading to prosperity |
| Prov 10:26 | Like vinegar to the teeth...so is the sluggard to those who send him. | Sluggard's impact on others |
| Prov 12:24 | The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor. | Diligence brings authority; sloth brings servitude |
| Prov 13:4 | The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. | Sluggard's desires unfulfilled vs. diligent's bounty |
| Prov 15:19 | The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway. | Obstacles of laziness vs. ease of righteousness |
| Prov 19:15 | Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idler will suffer hunger. | Sloth leads to destitution |
| Prov 20:4 | The sluggard does not plow in the autumn...therefore he begs in harvest... | Laziness at sowing time leads to lack at harvest |
| Prov 21:25 | The craving of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. | Lethargy as a self-destructive force |
| Prov 22:26-27 | Do not be one of those who give pledges...If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you? | Further warning against surety/debt pitfalls |
| Prov 24:30-34 | I passed by the field of a sluggard...it was all overgrown...A little sleep...poverty will come upon you. | Observing the consequences of laziness |
| Prov 26:13-16 | The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road!"...A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes... | Excuses and self-deception of the sluggard |
| Rom 12:11 | Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. | Spiritual diligence and fervent service |
| Rom 13:11 | Besides this you know the time, that it is already the hour for you to wake from sleep. | Spiritual awakening and urgency |
| Eph 5:14 | "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." | Call to spiritual wakefulness and action |
| 1 Cor 15:34 | Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and stop sinning... | Wakefulness unto righteousness |
| 1 Thess 5:6-8 | So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. | Maintaining spiritual alertness |
| Heb 6:11-12 | We desire each one of you to show the same diligence so as to have the full assurance of hope... | Diligence in faith leading to assurance |
| 2 Pet 1:5-8 | For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue... | Exhortation to exert every effort in growth |
Proverbs 6 verses
Proverbs 6 4 Meaning
Proverbs 6:4 serves as an urgent command for immediate and relentless action. It instructs one to allow no rest, no pause, until a dangerous situation—specifically, being entangled in a financial snare through acting as surety for another's debt—is resolved. The verse hyperbolically emphasizes that the danger is so severe it demands undivided attention and prompt liberation from the binding obligation.
Proverbs 6 4 Context
Proverbs 6:4 is part of a larger section (6:1-5) offering direct instruction to a young man who has unwisely guaranteed a friend's or neighbor's debt, effectively putting himself in financial bondage. The immediate verses preceding it (6:1-3) urge swift and humiliating action to release oneself from this binding agreement. The imagery of giving "no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids" powerfully conveys the intense urgency and focus required to escape such a perilous financial snare. This counsel is framed within wisdom literature, providing practical advice for everyday life decisions, emphasizing personal responsibility, diligence, and prudent management of resources, directly contrasting the pervasive theme of the "sluggard" found throughout Proverbs.
Proverbs 6 4 Word analysis
- Give no: From the Hebrew negative imperative אַל־תִּתֵּן (al-titten), literally "do not give" or "do not allow." This expresses a strong, forceful prohibition, emphasizing the severity and immediacy of the command.
- sleep (שֵׁנָה, shenah): Refers to the normal state of bodily rest. In this context, it is a metonym for inaction, delay, or procrastination. The command is not against literal sleep, but against permitting any delay when a crisis looms.
- to your eyes (לְעֵינֶיךָ, l'eineyka): The eyes are instruments of perception and wakefulness. This phrase personalizes the command, emphasizing the direct action required by the individual, preventing their very means of awareness from shutting down.
- nor (וְ): A conjunctive, linking the two parallel phrases and intensifying the prohibition.
- slumber (תְּנוּמָה, tenumah): Often signifies a deeper, more lethargic form of sleep or drowsiness, a state of apathy or being unaware. It heightens the urgency by expanding the scope from mere rest to any degree of unvigilance or inaction.
- to your eyelids (לְעַפְעַפֶּיךָ, l'ap'appeyka): Eyelids are integral to the act of closing the eyes for sleep. This forms a synonymous parallelism with "to your eyes," reinforcing the message through poetic repetition and adding emphatic force to the prohibition against any form of rest or delay.
- Words-group Analysis: "Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids" uses a form of synthetic or intensifying parallelism. The second phrase, "nor slumber to your eyelids," strengthens the first by presenting a deeper degree of rest ("slumber" versus "sleep") and using another anatomical part ("eyelids" for "eyes"). The entire phrase is a hyperbole, dramatically conveying the critical need for immediate, undivided attention and effort to rectify a pressing and dangerous situation, allowing no peace until liberation is achieved.
Proverbs 6 4 Bonus section
The hyperbole used in Proverbs 6:4—commanding the impossible feat of absolutely no sleep or slumber—underscores the critical nature of the warning. This literary device is common in wisdom literature to emphasize the extreme importance of a principle. It is not meant to be taken literally, but rather to convey the idea of unwavering and relentless focus, making the resolution of the pressing issue the utmost priority, even above personal comfort or rest, until freedom is secured. This teaching aligns with the broader biblical emphasis on diligence, hard work, and responsible living, especially in avoiding unnecessary burdens or obligations that can lead to spiritual or practical compromise.
Proverbs 6 4 Commentary
Proverbs 6:4 is a vivid piece of wisdom, highlighting the principle that grave dangers or moral errors demand immediate and decisive action. While its initial context is financial entanglement through surety, the wisdom extends universally: when caught in a snare, whether of debt, sin, bad habits, or unresolved conflict, delay is perilous. The verse does not advocate literal sleeplessness but illustrates the intensity of purpose and singular focus required to rectify a dangerous situation. It is a stark warning against procrastination, idleness, or passive acceptance of peril. One must prioritize and act with fervent diligence, working tirelessly until freedom or resolution is attained. For believers, this urgency also applies to spiritual snares—compelling one to awaken from spiritual apathy and actively pursue righteousness and freedom in Christ.