13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!” 14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. 15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. 16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly. 17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own. 18 Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death 19 is one who deceives their neighbour and says, “I was only joking!” (Prov. 26:13-19 NIV)
13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!” 14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. 15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. 16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly.
The sluggard is the title given to the lazy person. The lazy person makes up fantasy excuses for not going out to work, like ‘there is a lion in the road’. Whatever excuse is needed he uses to avoid work. The mind of a lazy person never lacks the ingenuity to provide excuses for not working.
The Teacher uses some humour to perhaps show the sluggard how lazy he is and make him change his ways. The lazy man turns in his bed like a door swinging on its hinges. The door is going no where, just opens and closes, opens and closes. So, the lazy man on his bed is going no where, just tossing and turning.
This man is so lazy that he puts his hand into his dish to get food but will not expend the energy of lifting his hand to his mouth. This is the attitude of a person who has no purpose in life and psychologically can’t even be bothered to eat. There are many people who have this degree of lethargy because they don’t have a reason to live. They are without God and without hope in the world.
The lazy man is convinced of his reason for behaving like he does. He has convinced himself through his own excuses. Even should seven wise people give him counsel he still views himself wiser than they.
17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
There are times when it is best not to get involved in the argument of two other people. It is like grabbing a stray dog by the ear. You have no idea if the dog will attack or if it has some disease. So entering into an argument that is in full flow without knowing what the argument is about or which side to take is not a wise thing to do.
18 Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbour and says, “I was only joking!”
Weapons in the hands of a maniac is a man of danger able to harm himself and others. He is not in full control of what he is doing and can cause indiscriminate harm or death to others. It is implied that there is something malicious in the deception of the neighbour. When the deception is uncovered, the excuse is made that it was only a joke. Humour is a good thing to have. It is good to laugh at ourselves, but humour should not be at the expense of another. There is a great difference between laughing with someone and laughing at them.
Prayer
Lord help us not to be lazy in our spiritual duties. Help us not to be lazy in our efforts to understand the impact that our words can have on others. Help us to be diligent in supporting our friends and family, because we ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.