Bible/Proverbs/20

Proverbs 20:13

20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

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Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

20:14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

What does Proverbs 20:13 mean?

Proverbs 20:13 is a verse in the book of Proverbs, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include אָהַב (ʼâhab), שֵׁנָה (shênâh), יָרַשׁ (yârash). It connects to 13 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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Loveאָהַבʼâhab/aw-hab'/H157to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)
not
sleep,שֵׁנָהshênâh/shay-naw'/H8142sleep
lest
thou
come
to
poverty;יָרַשׁyârash/yaw-rash'/H3423to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin
openפָּקַחpâqach/paw-kakh'/H6491to open (the senses, especially the eyes); figuratively, to be observant
thine
eyes,עַיִןʻayin/ah'-yin/H5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
and
thou
shalt
be
satisfiedשָׂבַעsâbaʻ/saw-bah'/H7646to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively)
with
bread.לֶחֶםlechem/lekh'-em/H3899food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)

Commentary on Proverbs 20:13

HENRY_FULL · Proverbs 20:13
hose that indulge themselves in their ease may expect to want necessaries, which should have been gotten by honest labour. "Therefore, though thou must sleep (nature requires it), yet love not sleep, as those do that hate business. Love not sleep for its own sake, but only as it fits for further work. Love not much sleep, but rather grudge the time that is spent in it, and wish thou couldst live without it, that thou mightest always be employed in some good exercise." We must allow it to our bodies as men allow it to their servants, because they cannot help it and otherwise they shall have no good of them. Those that love sleep are likely to come to poverty, not only because they lose the time they spend in excess of sleep, but because they contract a listless careless disposition, and are still half asleep, never well awake. 2. Those that stir up themselves to their business may expect to have conveniences: " Open thy eyes, awake and shake off sleep, see how far in the day it is, how thy work wants thee, and how busy others are about thee! And, when thou art awake, look up, look to thy advantages, and do not let slip thy opportunities; apply thy mind closely to thy business and be in care about it. It is the easy condition of a great advantage: Open thy eyes and thou shalt be satisfied with bread; if thou dost not grow rich, yet though shalt have enough, and that is as good as a feast." 14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 14:24

And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

Numbers 17:12

And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

Numbers 17:13

Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

Deuteronomy 2:14

And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them. brook: or, valley

Proverbs 20:9

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Proverbs 20:11

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

Romans 2:8

But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

Romans 2:9

Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; Gentile: Gr. Greek

Hebrews 3:10

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

Hebrews 3:11

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) They: Gr. If they shall enter

Hebrews 3:17

But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

Hebrews 4:1

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

Hebrews 4:2

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. the word: Gr. the word of hearing not being: or, because they were not united by faith to

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Proverbs 20:13.

Exodus 16:12

I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.

Exodus 16:8

And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

Genesis 21:19

And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

Genesis 3:5

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:7

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. aprons: or, things to gird about

Frequently asked questions

What does Proverbs 20:13 say?

Proverbs 20:13 (King James Version) reads: "Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread."

Is Proverbs 20:13 in the Old or New Testament?

Proverbs 20:13 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Proverbs.

Reflect

As you read Proverbs 20:13, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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