KJV ORIGINAL
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
A lazy person won't plow their fields because it's cold outside; so when harvest time comes, they'll have to beg for food but will have nothing.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
This verse is warning that laziness and making excuses now will lead to poverty and need later.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient agricultural societies, plowing had to be done at specific times regardless of weather conditions to ensure a successful harvest. Missing the planting season due to discomfort or laziness would result in no crop and potential starvation. This proverb uses farming imagery that would have been immediately understood by people whose survival depended on agricultural cycles.
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