Proverbs 6:10-11
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The verse highlights the sly, deceptive nature of laziness: the sluggard doesn't just want more sleep, but a series of little naps and dozes, with hands folded just so, as if to sweetly lull themselves into deeper inactivity. This gradual yielding to "just a little more" is precisely how ingrained habits of sloth take hold and lead to ruin.
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a stark warning against laziness, contrasting the industrious ant with the foolish sluggard. The verses before call the reader to learn from the ant's diligence, while this verse describes the sluggard's excuses. The verses that follow will show the inevitable consequence of this sloth: poverty that will come upon them like an intruder.
Ever find yourself saying 'just five more minutes' or 'just one more episode'? This verse reveals the subtle danger hidden in those seemingly harmless phrases.
This verse paints a vivid picture of the sluggard's mindset. Notice the repetition: 'a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands.' This isn't just about needing more rest; it's about the gradual surrender to ease and the rejection of responsibility. The sluggard isn't abruptly lazy; they slide into it, justifying each small indulgence. Each 'little' step away from duty leads them further down a path where diligence becomes impossible and their life is ultimately overtaken by hardship. It's the language of someone trying to justify their inaction, clinging to comfort instead of facing their tasks.
Poverty doesn't always arrive like a thief in the night. Sometimes, it's invited in through the front door by our own habits.
The 'folding of the hands to rest' is more than just a physical posture; it represents a settled disposition of inactivity. The commentaries show that habits are formed through repeated actions, and the sluggard's 'little' moments of rest compound over time. This isn't just about financial poverty, though that's a clear consequence. It's about a poverty of purpose, of contribution, and of spiritual vitality. The proverb warns that this creeping indolence leaves one utterly unprepared when challenges or 'poverty' – in any form – arrives like an 'armed man,' too strong to resist.
Understand the original words
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tenumah · Hebrew Noun
A state of light, drowsy, or semi-conscious rest. It represents a transition into or lingering in a state of laziness and lack of productivity.
resh · Hebrew Noun
The state of being destitute or lacking basic necessities for life. In Proverbs, it is often presented as the inevitable consequence of laziness, sloth, or poor judgment.
machsor · Hebrew Noun
The state of lacking or being in need; a deficiency of essential resources. It describes a condition of deprivation often resulting from a failure to work or steward resources wisely.
This passage directly echoes the imagery of Proverbs 6:10, describing how the sluggard's 'little sleep' and 'little slumber' inevitably lead to poverty arriving like an 'armed man'.
Matthew 25:1-13The parable of the ten virgins illustrates the danger of spiritual complacency and 'little sleep.' The foolish virgins who neglected to prepare were shut out, highlighting the severe consequences of procrastination and over-indulgence in rest when duty calls.
Romans 13:11This verse urges believers to 'wake up from sleep,' connecting the imagery of slumber with spiritual unresponsibility and the approaching day of salvation, much like Proverbs warns against the 'sleep' of laziness leading to ruin.
1 Thessalonians 5:6Paul directly contrasts being alert with 'sleeping' or being 'drunk,' warning believers not to be caught unaware. This aligns with Proverbs' theme that yielding to 'a little sleep' makes one vulnerable to unforeseen dangers and judgment.
pulpitProverbs 6:10: "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:"
Verse 10. - Yet a Little sleep, etc. Is this the answer of the sluggard which the teacher takes up and repeats ironically, and in a tone of contempt? or is it the teacher's own language describing how the sluggard slides on insensibly to ruin? The Vulgate favours the latter view, "Thou shalt sleep a little, thou shalt slumber a little, thou shalt fold thy hands to sleep, and then," etc. Habits, as Ari…
clarkeProverbs 6:10: "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:"
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber - This, if not the language, is the feeling of the sluggard. The ant gathers its food in summer and in harvest, and sleeps in winter when it has no work to do. If the sluggard would work in the day, and sleep at night, it would be all proper. The ant yields him a lesson of reproach.
The verse highlights the sly, deceptive nature of laziness: the sluggard doesn't just want more sleep, but a series of little naps and dozes, with hands folded just so, as if to sweetly lull themselves into deeper inactivity. This gradual yielding to "just a little more" is precisely how ingrained habits of sloth take hold and lead to ruin.
This passage is part of a stark warning against laziness, contrasting the industrious ant with the foolish sluggard. The verses before call the reader to learn from the ant's diligence, while this verse describes the sluggard's excuses. The verses that follow will show the inevitable consequence of this sloth: poverty that will come upon them like an intruder.
This passage is part of a stark warning against laziness, contrasting the industrious ant with the foolish sluggard. The verses before call the reader to learn from the ant's diligence, while this verse describes the sluggard's excuses. The verses that follow will show the inevitable consequence of this sloth: poverty that will come upon them like an intruder.
"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man." — The verse highlights the sly, deceptive nature of laziness: the sluggard doesn't just want more sleep, but a series of little naps and dozes, with hands folded just so, as if to sweetly lull them…
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Last reviewed October 2026
