Proverbs 21:25The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. Solomon observing lazy servants and citizens who dream of wealth but refuse to work in Jerusalem, modern-day Israel.
The emotion here: exasperated with people who complained about poverty while refusing to work
The original word
ʿāṣēl (עָצֵל) — sluggard, one whose hands are folded in chronic avoidance of work
Why it matters
Ancient Israel had no social safety net — chronic laziness literally meant starvation
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 21:25
The 'desire' isn't bad — it's the GAP between wanting and working that becomes lethal
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about workaholism vs. rest. But Solomon is addressing chronic avoidance — people who WANT results but refuse the process. The 'desire' itself becomes torture when disconnected from action.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 21:25
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 21:25 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 21:25 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include laziness, work ethic. Notable phrases: desire of sluggard kills; hands refuse to labor.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 21:25 mean to you, today?
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