Naturally, the sluggard begins the day by staying in bed when he should be starting his work. Proverbs 6:9, “How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?” Next the sluggard will invent any reason to prevent working. Proverbs 22:13, “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion outside; I shall be slain in the streets!” Rather than beginning his work he simply pacifies himself with his preposterous excuses and return to his bed. Proverbs 26:14, “As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.” Once the sluggard finally rolls out of bed, he is even too lazy to provide for his needs to survive. Proverbs 19:24, “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, and will not even bring it back to his mouth.” Though the sluggard may be too lazy to eat, often, due to his slothfulness, he has no food to eat. Proverbs 20:4, “The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, so he begs during the harvest and has nothing.” Eventually, his laziness leads to a lack of food, a lack of food to deteriorated health, and deteriorated health to death. Proverbs 21:25, “The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, for his hands refuse to work.” His neglect of responsibilities is evident in his health, but also in the care of his house. Proverbs 24:30-31, “I passed by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man lacking sense; and behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles, its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.” His life is simply a selfish pursuit of his laziness. Though he may wish a nobler lifestyle, steps are never taken to accomplish his goal because he’s a dreamer. Proverbs 13:4, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing.” He thinks his life is okay, but unfortunately he is greatly deceived. Proverbs 26:16, “The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can give a discreet answer.” What the sluggard really needs is stern rebuke of wisdom. The slug is compared to another animal, one that is very industrious. Proverbs 6:6-11, “Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer, and gathers her provision in the harvest. How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? ‘A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest’ – and your poverty will come in like a vagabond, and your need like an armed man.”
Randy Smith

FREE Online Croatian Bible. Hosea Chapter 11:1-11.

Main Index: Croatian Bible

 

Hosea 11

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11:1 Dok Izrael bijaše dijete, ja ga ljubljah, iz Egipta dozvah sina svoga.

11:2 Al’ što sam ih više zvao, sve su dalje od mene odlazili; baalima su žrtvovali, kadili kumirima.

11:3 A ja sam Efrajima hodati učio, držeći ga za ruke njegove; al’ oni ne spoznaše da sam se za njih brinuo.

11:4 Užima za ljude privlačio sam ih, konopcima ljubavi; bijah im k’o onaj koji u čeljustima njihovim žvale opušta; nad njega se saginjah i davah mu jesti.

11:5 U zemlju egipatsku on će se vratiti, Asirac će mu kraljem biti, jer se ne htjede vratiti k meni.

11:6 Mač će bješnjeti njegovim gradovima, uništiti prijevornice njegove, proždirat će zbog spletaka njegovih.

11:7 Narod je moj sklon otpadu; i premda ga k Višnjem dozivlju, nitko da ga podigne.

11:8 Kako da te dadem, Efrajime, kako da te predam, Izraele! Kako da te dadem kao Admu, da učinim s tobom kao Sebojimu? Srce mi je uznemireno, uzavrela mi sva utroba:

11:9 neću više gnjevu dati maha, neću opet zatirati Efrajima, jer ja sam Bog, a ne čovjek: Svetac posred tebe – neću više gnjevan dolaziti!

11:10 Za Jahvom će ići on, k’o lav on će rikati; a kad zarikao bude, sinovi će mu veselo dohrliti sa zapada;

11:11 k’o ptice će dohrliti iz Egipta, k’o golubica iz zemlje asirske, i naselit ću ih po kućama njihovim – riječ je Jahvina.