Proverbs , Sarah Barry
THE SLUGGARD AND THE MALICIOUS
Passage: Proverbs 26:13~28  
Key verse: 24
13 A sluggard says,(A) “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”(B)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.(C)
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.(D)
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer discreetly.
17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.
18 Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.(E)
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(F)
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(G)
23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,(H)
but in their hearts they harbor deceit.(I)
25 Though their speech is charming,(J) do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.(K)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit(L) will fall into it;(M)
if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.(N)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth(O) works ruin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth
Cross references
- Proverbs 26:13 : Pr 6:6-11; 24:30-34
- Proverbs 26:13 : Pr 22:13
- Proverbs 26:14 : S Pr 6:9
- Proverbs 26:15 : Pr 19:24
- Proverbs 26:20 : Pr 22:10
- Proverbs 26:21 : S Pr 14:17
- Proverbs 26:22 : Pr 18:8
- Proverbs 26:24 : S Ps 31:18
- Proverbs 26:24 : Ps 41:6
- Proverbs 26:25 : Ps 28:3
- Proverbs 26:25 : Jer 9:4-8
- Proverbs 26:27 : S Ps 7:15
- Proverbs 26:27 : S Est 6:13
- Proverbs 26:27 : S Est 2:23; S 7:9; Ps 35:8; 141:10; Pr 28:10; 29:6; Isa 50:11
- Proverbs 26:28 : S Ps 12:3; Pr 29:5
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. The sluggard has his own justification (13-16)
There's a lion on the road! Yes, I am sure. A lion is out there!" The sluggard finds the strangest excuses for doing nothing. He turns on his bed as a door turns on its hinges. He takes food in his hand, but does not lift it to his mouth. He still thinks he is smarter than any other wise men.
2. The malicious man disguises himself (17-28)
The malicious man meddles in someone else's argument. He lies to a friend then says, "I was only joking." He gossips and spreads quarrels. He speaks flattering words, but his heart is full of many evils. His wrongdoing will be exposed in public. He will fall in his own pit.
Prayer: Lord, save me from becoming a sluggard and a malicious man by the blood of Jesus.
One Word: Work hard for the glory of God