Against Sloth

⁵
Tear yourself away like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler. ⁶ 
Go to the ant, O lazy one;
Observe her ways and be wise,
⁷
Which, having no chief,
Overseer or ruler,

Go to the Ant

Lazy Man

Proverbs 10:26

Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him to work.

Proverbs 20:4

The lazy man does not plow when the winter [planting] season arrives;
So he begs at the [next] harvest and has nothing [to reap].

Proverbs 6:9

How long will you lie down, O lazy one?
When will you arise from your sleep [and learn self-discipline]?

Proverbs 13:4

The soul (appetite) of the lazy person craves and gets nothing [for lethargy overcomes ambition],
But the soul (appetite) of the diligent [who works willingly] is rich and abundantly supplied.

Job 12:7-8

“Now ask the animals, and let them teach you [that God does not deal with His creatures according to their character];
And ask the birds of the air, and let them tell you;

Proverbs 1:17

Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net
In the sight of any bird;

Proverbs 15:19

The way of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns [it pricks, lacerates, and entangles him],
But the way [of life] of the upright is smooth and open like a highway.

Proverbs 18:9

He who is careless in his work
Is a brother to him who destroys.

Proverbs 19:15

Laziness casts one into a deep sleep [unmindful of lost opportunity],
And the idle person will suffer hunger.

Proverbs 19:24

The lazy man buries his hand in the [food] dish,
But will not even bring it to his mouth again.

Proverbs 21:25

The desire of the lazy kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor;

Proverbs 22:13

The lazy one [manufactures excuses and] says, “There is a lion outside!
I will be killed in the streets [if I go out to work]!”

Proverbs 24:30-34

I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man lacking understanding and common sense;

Proverbs 26:13-16

The lazy person [who is self-indulgent and relies on lame excuses] says, “There is a lion in the road!
A lion is in the open square [and if I go outside to work I will be killed]!”

Proverbs 30:25

The ants are not a strong people,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;

Isaiah 1:3

“The ox [instinctively] knows its owner,
And the donkey its master’s feeding trough,
But Israel does not know [Me as Lord],
My people do not understand.”

Matthew 6:26

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?

Matthew 25:26

“But his master answered him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed.

Romans 12:11

never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord;

Hebrews 6:12

so that you will not be [spiritually] sluggish, but [will instead be] imitators of those who through faith [lean on God with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in His power] and by patient endurance [even when suffering] are [now] inheriting the promises.