Proverbs 24:30

30 I passed by the field of a lazy person, and over the vineyard of a person lacking {sense};

Proverbs 24:30 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 24:30

I went by the field of the slothful
This very probably was a real matter of fact; King Solomon's way lay at a certain time by the field of a slothful man, who never went into it himself, there being a lion in the way; and which he took no care of to manure and till, to plough and sow, but let it lie waste and uncultivated; an emblem of a carnal and worldly professor, and especially an unregenerate man, neglecting the affairs of his soul, his heart remaining like the fallow field unopened and unbroken, hard, obdurate, and impenitent; nothing sown in it, no seed of grace; nor has the seed of the word any place in it, but falling on it lies like seed by the wayside, caught up by every bird; and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
as the slothful man is, that takes no care to plant and dress it, that it may bring forth fruit to his own profit and advantage; and as every unregenerate man is, who is unconcerned about his soul, and the welfare of it; whatever understanding he may have of things natural and civil, he has no knowledge of spiritual things, of God in Christ, of himself, his state and condition; of Christ, and the way of peace, life, and salvation by him; of the Spirit, and his work of grace upon the heart; and of the Gospel, and the mysteries of it; and so has no regard to the vineyard of his soul, and the plantation and fruitfulness of it; see ( Song of Solomon 1:6 ) .

Proverbs 24:30 In-Context

28 Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor nor deceive with your lips.

29 Do not say, "Just as he has done to me, so shall I do to him; I will pay back the man according to his deed."

30 I passed by the field of a lazy person, and over the vineyard of a person lacking {sense};

31 and behold, it was overgrown--all of it was covered [with] thorns, its surface with nettles, and {its stone wall} was broken down.

32 Then I myself saw and my heart considered; I looked, and I took hold of instruction:

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "heart"