Proverbes 26:15

15 Le paresseux plonge sa main dans le plat, Et il trouve pénible de la ramener à sa bouche.

Proverbes 26:15 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 26:15

The slothful hideth his hand in [his] bosom
To keep it warm; Jarchi's note is,

``he puts his hand in a hot basin, because of the cold.''
The word F3 for "bosom" does sometimes signify a "pot" or basin. Or he hides it under his "arm holes", as some render it, not caring to make use of it for labour; or covers it out of sight in his bosom, pretending some weakness or ailment in it, which hinders him from working; see ( Proverbs 19:24 ) ; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth;
from under his arm holes, or out of his bosom, or even out of the platter, where his food is; an hyperbolical expression, setting forth his excessive sloth; and such an one ought not to eat, but starve indeed. It may be rendered, "he is weary"; it is a "weariness" F4 to him; it is even a labour too much for him to feed himself, so great is his sloth: and such is the sloth of carnal men; it is a weariness to them to hear the word, and attend on ordinances, and to lift up their hands in prayer to God; or to make use of any means, that they may have food for their souls; praying, hearing, and reading, are a burden to them; and therefore it is but just with God to send them a famine of the word, and take away the whole stay and staff of bread and water.
FOOTNOTES:

F3 (txlub) "in patina vel olla", Vatablus; "in patinam", Tigurine version; "lebete", Mercerus; "in paropside", Cocceius; "in paropsidem", Schultens.
F4 (haln) "fatigatur", Mercerus, Gejerus; "defessus fit", Michaelis; "defetiscitur", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schultens.

Proverbes 26:15 In-Context

13 Le paresseux dit: Il y a un lion sur le chemin, Il y a un lion dans les rues!
14 La porte tourne sur ses gonds, Et le paresseux sur son lit.
15 Le paresseux plonge sa main dans le plat, Et il trouve pénible de la ramener à sa bouche.
16 Le paresseux se croit plus sage Que sept hommes qui répondent avec bon sens.
17 Comme celui qui saisit un chien par les oreilles, Ainsi est un passant qui s'irrite pour une querelle où il n'a que faire.
The Louis Segond 1910 is in the public domain.