Proverbs 10:5
Wisdom works faithfully in the right season, but laziness wastes opportunity and brings shame.
5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.
Wisdom works faithfully in the right season, but laziness wastes opportunity and brings shame.
To teach that wisdom recognizes and responds to the appropriate season for work, while laziness wastes opportunity and brings shame.
This proverb continues the theme of diligence introduced in Proverbs 10:4 but adds the dimension of timing and opportunity. The imagery of harvest situates the saying within agricultural life, where seasons determine success or failure. The contrast intensifies from general diligence to the urgency of acting at the right time. Within the broader collection, this verse highlights that wisdom is not only about effort but about timely action. It reinforces the cumulative message that patterns of behavior, especially in critical moments, shape outcomes and reputation.
Proverbs 10:5 reflects an agrarian society where harvest seasons were critical for survival. Failure to gather crops at the right time could result in significant loss, making diligence and timing essential virtues.
The Righteous and the Wicked: Wisdom in Speech, Work, Wealth, and Life
The righteous and the wicked are revealed in ordinary life, especially in speech, work, wealth, discipline, and desire, and the LORD's moral order leads the righteous toward life while folly moves the wicked toward ruin.