Focused Passage

Proverbs 24:30-34

Wisdom Builds the House: Justice, Courage, Diligence, Enemies, and the Future of the Righteous

The chapter moves from warnings against envying the wicked, to wisdom as constructive strength, to courageous rescue, to future hope, to restraint toward enemies, to public justice and honest speech, and finally to ordered labor and the severe warning of the sluggard's ruined field.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

30 I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.

31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.

32 I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:

33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 30

Original words

I went עָבַ֑רְתִּי H5674 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular past עַל־ H5921 Preposition the field שְׂדֵ֣ה H7704 Noun - masculine singular construct of a slacker אִישׁ־ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . עָצֵ֣ל H6102 Adjective - masculine singular and by וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the vineyard כֶּ֝֗רֶם H3754 Noun - masculine singular construct of a man אָדָ֥ם H120 Noun - masculine singular lacking חֲסַר־ H2638 Adjective - masculine singular construct judgment לֵֽב׃ H3820 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 31

Original words

- וְהִנֵּ֨ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection Thorns קִמְּשֹׂנִ֗ים H7063 Noun - masculine plural had grown up עָ֘לָ֤ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular everywhere כֻלּ֨וֹ׀ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular thistles חֲרֻלִּ֑ים H2738 Noun - masculine plural had covered כָּסּ֣וּ H3680 Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person common plural the ground פָנָ֣יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular and the stone אֲבָנָ֣יו H68 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular wall וְגֶ֖דֶר H1444 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct was broken down נֶהֱרָֽסָה׃ H2040 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 32

Original words

I אָ֭נֹכִֽי H595 Pronoun - first person common singular observed וָֽאֶחֱזֶ֣ה H2372 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular and took [it] אָשִׁ֣ית H7896 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to heart לִבִּ֑י H3820 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular I looked רָ֝אִ֗יתִי H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular and received לָקַ֥חְתִּי H3947 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular instruction מוּסָֽר׃ H4148 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 33

Original words

A little מְעַ֣ט H4592 Adjective - masculine singular construct sleep שֵׁ֭נוֹת H8142 Noun - feminine plural a little מְעַ֣ט H4592 Adjective - masculine singular construct slumber תְּנוּמ֑וֹת H8572 Noun - feminine plural a little מְעַ֓ט׀ H4592 Adjective - masculine singular construct folding חִבֻּ֖ק H2264 Noun - masculine singular construct of the hands יָדַ֣יִם H3027 Noun - fd to rest לִשְׁכָּֽב׃ H7901 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 34

Original words

and poverty רֵישֶׁ֑ךָ H7389 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular will come [upon you] וּבָֽא־ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular like a robber מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ H1980 Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular and need וּ֝מַחְסֹרֶ֗יךָ H4270 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular like a bandit כְּאִ֣ישׁ H376 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular . . . מָגֵֽן׃פ H4043 Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.