Proverbs

Proverbs 6:4–10

⁴Allow no sleep to your eyes

or slumber to your eyelids.

⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,^b

like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

⁶Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker;

observe its ways and become wise.

⁷Without a commander,

without an overseer or ruler,

⁸it prepares its provisions in summer;

it gathers its food at harvest.

⁹How long will you lie there, O slacker?

When will you get up from your sleep?

¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Allow	תִּתֵּ֣ן	tit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
no	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
sleep	שֵׁנָ֣ה	šê·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8142 sleep
to your eyes	לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ	lə·‘ê·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - cdc; second person masculine singular	H5869 eye
or slumber	וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה	ū·ṯə·nū·māh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H8572 slumber
to your eyelids	לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃	lə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine dual construct; second person masculine singular	H6079 eyelid

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Free yourself	הִ֭נָּצֵל	hin·nā·ṣêl	Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular	H5337 strip, plunder
like a gazelle	כִּצְבִ֣י	kiṣ·ḇî	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H6643 beauty, honour
from the hand	מִיָּ֑ד	mî·yāḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H3027 hand
like a bird	וּ֝כְצִפּ֗וֹר	ū·ḵə·ṣip·pō·wr	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k; Noun - common singular	H6833 bird
from the snare	מִיַּ֥ד	mî·yaḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
of the fowler	יָקֽוּשׁ׃פ	yā·qūš	Noun - masculine singular	H3353 id.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Walk in the manner of	לֵֽךְ־	lêḵ-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
the ant	נְמָלָ֥ה	nə·mā·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H5244 ant
O slacker	עָצֵ֑ל	‘ā·ṣêl	Adjective - masculine singular	H6102 sluggish, lazy
observe	רְאֵ֖ה	rə·’êh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H7200 see
its ways	דְרָכֶ֣יהָ	ḏə·rā·ḵe·hā	Noun - common plural construct; third person feminine singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
and become wise	וַחֲכָֽם׃	wa·ḥă·ḵām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H2449 be wise

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Without	אֵֽין־	’ên-	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
a commander	קָצִ֗ין	qā·ṣîn	Noun - masculine singular	H7101 chief, ruler
without an overseer	שֹׁטֵ֥ר	šō·ṭêr	Noun - masculine singular	H7860 official, officer
or ruler	וּמֹשֵֽׁל׃	ū·mō·šêl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H4910 rule, have dominion, reign

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
it prepares	תָּכִ֣ין	tā·ḵîn	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3559 be firm
its provisions	לַחְמָ֑הּ	laḥ·māh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H3899 bread, food
in summer	בַּקַּ֣יִץ	baq·qa·yiṣ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7019 summer, summer-fruit
it gathers	אָגְרָ֥ה	’ā·ḡə·rāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H103 gather
its food	מַאֲכָלָֽהּ׃	ma·’ă·ḵā·lāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H3978 food
at harvest	בַ֝קָּצִ֗יר	ḇaq·qā·ṣîr	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7105 harvesting, harvest

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
How	מָתַ֖י	mā·ṯay	Interrogative	H4970 when?
long	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
will you lie there	תִּשְׁכָּ֑ב	tiš·kāḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7901 lie down
O slacker	עָצֵ֥ל׀	‘ā·ṣêl	Adjective - masculine singular	H6102 sluggish, lazy
When	מָ֝תַ֗י	mā·ṯay	Interrogative	H4970 when?
will you get up	תָּק֥וּם	tā·qūm	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
from your sleep	מִשְּׁנָתֶֽךָ׃	miš·šə·nā·ṯe·ḵā	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8142 sleep

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A little	מְעַ֣ט	mə·‘aṭ	Adjective - masculine singular construct	H4592 a little, fewness, a few
sleep	שֵׁ֭נוֹת	šē·nôt̲	Noun - feminine plural	H8142 sleep
a little	מְעַ֣ט	mə·‘aṭ	Adjective - masculine singular construct	H4592 a little, fewness, a few
slumber	תְּנוּמ֑וֹת	tə·nū·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H8572 slumber
a little	מְעַ֓ט׀	mə·‘aṭ	Adjective - masculine singular construct	H4592 a little, fewness, a few
folding	חִבֻּ֖ק	ḥib·buq	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2264 a clasping, folding
of the hands	יָדַ֣יִם	yā·ḏa·yim	Noun - fd	H3027 hand
to rest	לִשְׁכָּֽב׃	liš·kāḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7901 lie down