“Tis the voice of the sluggard; I heard him complain—
“You have waked me too soon; I must slumber again";
As the door on its hinges, so he on his bed,
Turns his sides, and his shoulders, and his heavy head.
“A little more sleep, and a little more slumber.”
Thus he wastes half his days and his hours without number;
And when he gets up, he sits folding his hands,
Or walks about saunt’ring, or trifling he stands.
I passed by his garden, and saw the wild brier,
The thorns and the thistles grow broader and higher;
The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags,
And his money still wastes ‘til he starves or he begs.
I made him a visit, still hoping to find
That he took better care for improving his mind;
He told me his dreams, talked of eating and drinking,
But he scarce reads his Bible, and never loves thinking.
Said I then to my heart: “Here’s a lesson for me;
That man’s but a picture of what I might be;
But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding,
Who taught me betimes to love working and reading.”
—Isaac Watts.
“How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man.” Proverbs 6:6-116Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. (Proverbs 6:6‑11).
ML-12/11/1960