Proverbs 26:15

15 A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.

Proverbs 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.

Proverbs 26:15 In-Context

13 A sluggard when sent on a journey says, a lion in the ways, and murderers in the streets.
14 As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
16 A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.
17 As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.