Proverbs 6:4 — Word Study
WLCאַל־ תִּתֵּ֣ן שֵׁנָ֣ה לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃
BSAAllownâthan▸ [do not give, withhold] noʼal sleepshênâh [rest, slumber] to your eyesʻayin [the windows of the soul, sources of insight] or slumbertᵉnûwmâh [drowsiness, lethargy] to your eyelidsʻaphʻaph [the protectors of your vision, the guardians of your gaze]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַל־ | may not | Particle |
| תִּתֵּ֣ן | you give | Verb, Qal, jussive second person masculine singular |
| שֵׁנָ֣ה | sleep | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ | to eyes your | Preposition, noun common feminine dual construct, suffix |
| וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה | and slumber | Conjunction, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃ | to eyelids your | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. |
| KJV | Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. |
| ASV | Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids; |
| YLT | Give not sleep to thine eyes, And slumber to thine eyelids, |
| WEB | Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. |
| BBE | Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them; |
The translations agree on the meaning and intent of the verse, emphasizing the call to remain alert and avoid sleep.
The sentence is structured around a main command with a coordinating clause that adds further instruction.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָתַן
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 6:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Warnings Against Lazinessgenerated
Proverbs 6:4 is part of a larger admonition to avoid slothfulness and take responsibility. The preceding verses encourage the son to act wisely and free himself from obligations that may lead to trouble. This advice is framed within the context of personal diligence and the dangers of neglecting one's duties, culminating in a call to remain alert and proactive.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proverbs 6:10–11 | A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, |
| 2 | Psalm 132:4 | I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, |
| 3 | Ecclesiastes 9:10 | Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. |
| 4 | Matthew 24:17–18 | Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. |
| 5 | Mark 13:35–36 | Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שֵׁנָ֣ה, she.Nahgenerated
The Hebrew word שֵׁנָה (she.nah) means 'sleep' and describes a state of unconsciousness or rest. It is often used in contexts that emphasize the need for vigilance, as in this verse where it is paired with a prohibition against allowing sleep to take hold.
This noun is feminine singular, indicating a specific form of sleep, emphasizing the need to resist it. The word's usage in the verse highlights its importance in the context of alertness and responsibility.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree in conveying the core message of the verse, focusing on the prohibition against sleep and slumber.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of a main clause with two imperative phrases: אַל al (do not) and תִּתֵּ֣ן ti.Ten (you give), followed by the objects שֵׁנָ֣ה she.Nah (sleep) and תְנוּמָ֗ה u.te.nu.Mah (slumber).
The structure emphasizes the commands not to allow sleep or slumber, creating a rhythm that underscores the urgency of the advice.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שֵׁנָה as ὕπνον, which means 'sleep.' This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may carry slightly different connotations in the Greek context.
The use of ἐπινυστάχῃς for תְנוּמָ֗ה indicates a focus on drowsiness, which may suggest a more passive state than the Hebrew implies.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 6:4 warns against allowing sleep or slumber to take over your eyes. It emphasizes the importance of staying alert and diligent in one's responsibilities, as neglect can lead to trouble.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means to remain vigilant and attentive, avoiding complacency that can lead to negative consequences.
Slumber represents a lighter state of drowsiness, highlighting different levels of alertness that one should avoid.
You can apply this by being proactive in your responsibilities and avoiding laziness in your tasks.
Neglecting this advice can lead to missed opportunities, responsibilities left undone, and potential problems in personal or professional life.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to be more vigilant and avoid complacency?
- How can I encourage others to stay alert and responsible in their duties?
- What practical steps can I take to prevent laziness from affecting my productivity?
- How does this verse relate to my spiritual life and my attentiveness to God's guidance?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Bede comments on this verse, discussing the implications of neglecting one's duties and the importance of vigilance.
Do not give sleep to your eyes, etc. He gives sleep to his eyes who utterly neglects the care of his subjects; but he dozes who indeed knows their blameworthy deeds but, due to weariness of mind, does not correct them with deserving rebuke.Early Church Fathers on Proverbs 6 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 6:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleGive not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Until the above things are done; which denotes of what consequence and importance they are; and that persons in such circumstances should
Read John Gill on Proverbs 6 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryGive not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids - before that thou hast released thyself from the obligation (cf. the phrase Psalms 132:4).
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 6 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTo wit, until thou hast taken care for the discharge of this obligation. Be not secure, nor negligent, nor dilatory in this matter.
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 6 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 6:4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.Ver. 4. Give not sleep to thine eyes, &c.] Augustus wondered at a certain knight in Rome, that owed much, and yet could sleep securely; and when this knight died, he sent to buy his bed, as supposing there was something more than ordinary in it, to procure sleep. The opportunity of liberty and thriving is to be well husbanded, lest some storm arising from the cruelty of creditors, or mutability of outward things, overwhelm a man with debt and danger, as the whirlwind doth the unwary traveller upon the Alps with snow. Now if such care be taken that we run not rashly in debt to men, how much more to God! If to undertake…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 6 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesEleventh Address. Chap. 6. Proverbs 6:1-5. The Surety“From the solemn principle announced at the close of the last chapter (Proverbs 6:23) the teacher passes … to illustrate the truth by three examples, that of the Surety (Proverbs 6:1-5), that of the Sluggard (Proverbs 6:6-11), and that of the Worthless Man (Proverbs 6:12-19). And then because the horrors of impurity are the most striking and terrible instance of all, this subject coming up again at Proverbs 6:20, like the dark ground tone of the picture, finally runs into the long and detailed description of ch. 7.” Horton, ch. vii. p. 79.
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 6 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible4, 5. Give not sleep, etc. — Meaning that he should urge the heedless debtor to fulfil his obligations before it is too late — before the creditor commences a judicial process. (Zockler.) Roe — See on Proverbs 5:19.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 6 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
Permit no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
Tyndale line
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids;
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Give not sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids.
Giue no sleepe to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Strictly literal
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids:
Give not sleep to thine eyes, And slumber to thine eyelids,
Do not give sleep to your eyes, || And slumber to your eyelids,
Grant not any sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids.
Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber.
From the Latin
Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.
Simplified
Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse, with five out of six words matching. The Septuagint's translation reflects the same concepts but presents them in a different syntactic structure.
אַל־ תִּתֵּ֣ן שֵׁנָ֣ה לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 6:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אַל (al) is a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no,' often used to express a wish or prohibition rather than an objective fact. It can also function as a noun meaning 'nothing.' The lexicons highlight its use in various contexts, including deprecative forms, but do not show significant disagreement.
אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
base
H408 אַל adv. of negation, denying however, not objectively as a fact, but subjectively as a wish, expressing therefore a deprecation or prohibition
408 'al al
a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified
negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun,
nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing
(worth), rather than.
see HEBREW for 03808
אַל (al) — not.
1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference)
1a) do not, let not (with a verb)
1b) let there not be (with a verb understood)
1c) not, no (with substantive)
1d) nothing (as substantive)
Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word נָתַן (natan) means 'to give' and encompasses a wide range of applications such as putting, setting, and making. It can also indicate actions like bestowing, delivering, and assigning. The entries describe its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hophal, but do not present any significant disagreements among lexicons.
נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set
Qal 1917
give
Put, set
Make, constitute
Niph.
82be given
Be put, set
Hoph.
be given, bestowed
= be given to one for wife
be put upon
base
H5414 נָתַן give, put, set .. give
. Put, set
. Make, constitute
. . be given
. Be put, set
. . . be given, bestowed
. = be given to one for wife
. be put upon
5414 nathan naw-than'
a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of
application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe,
assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth,
hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, +
cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X
without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up),
grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up),
(give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that,
occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X
pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send
(out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander,
strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade,
turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to)
God, yield.
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: give.
: give/deliver/send/produce
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend
1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate
1a3) to make, constitute
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned
1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up
1c2) to be put upon
נָתַן (na.tan) — to give: put.
: put/set/apppoint
1) to give, put, set
1a) (Qal)
V-Qal-Juss-2ms — Verb · Qal · jussive second person masculine singularHVqj2ms
(nathan, yahabh, sum; didomi): "Give" is a very common word in the Old Testament. It is most frequently the translation of nathan, "to give" (Ge 1:29; 3:6; Ex 2:9; De 18,20, etc., over 800 instances); nathan is also translated "to give up" (De 23:14; Isa 43:6; Ho 11:8); of yahabh, "to give" (Ge 30:1; 1Ch 16:28 the King James Version). In Ps 55:22 we have the perfect with suffix, "Cast thy burden upon Yahweh," margin "what he hath given thee"; elsewhere it is…
The Hebrew word שֵׁנָה, transliterated as she.nah, means 'sleep.' It is derived from a root that suggests a state of rest. The word appears in contexts related to sleep, such as in Psalm 127:2. There is an Aramaic equivalent, also meaning 'sleep,' noted in the entries.
שֵׁנָה, שֵׁנָא, שֵׁנָת n.f. sleep
base
H8142 שֵׁנָה, שֵׁנָא, שֵׁנָת sleep
8142 shehah shay-naw'
or shena (Psa. 127:2) {shay-naw'}; from 3462;
sleep:--sleep.
see HEBREW for 03462
שֵׁנָה (she.nah) — sleep.
sleep
Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "sleep" H8139)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
The Hebrew word עַ֫יִן (*'ayin*) means 'eye' and can refer to both the physical organ and its figurative uses, such as mental qualities and desires. It also denotes a 'spring' or 'fountain' of water. The entries highlight various phrases and contexts, including appearances and expressions of emotion, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
עַ֫יִן 859 n.f. eye
lit. as physical organ
eyes as showing mental qualities
desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
Transferred mngs.:
visible surface of earth
appearance
gleam, sparkle
Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
base
עַ֫יִן n.f. spring (of water). Particular springs are:
ע׳ חֲרֹר Ju 7:1
ע׳ הַקּוֹרֵא (partridge-spring) Ju 15:19
ע׳ רֹגֵל near Jerus.
ע׳ הַתַּנִּין (dragon-spring)
base
H5869a עַ֫יִן eye . lit. as physical organ
. . eyes as showing mental qualities
. desire of the eyes, abominations of the eyes
. Fig. of mental and physical faculties, acts and states
. Transferred mngs.: . visible surface of earth
. appearance
. gleam, sparkle
. Other phrases are: an eye for an eye; eye to eye; in the presence of, in full view of; of business transaction; on the forehead
H5869b עַ֫יִן spring (of water)
5869 `ayin ah'-yin
probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or
figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the
landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, +
think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, +
displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour,
fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble,
knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please,
presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, +
think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye.
: eye
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain (Gate).
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — Fountain of.
§ spring, fountain
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: seeing.
: seeing
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: appearance.
: appearance
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: before(the eyes).
: before(the_eyes)
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)
עַ֫יִן (a.yin) — eye: sin.
: sin
1) eye
1a) eye
1a1) of physical eye
1a2) as showing mental qualities
Prep | N-cd | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine dual construct · suffixHR/Ncfdc/Sp2ms
תְּנוּמָה (tnuwmah) refers to drowsiness or slumber. It is derived from the root word for sleep and is used in contexts related to sleepiness. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as slumber, with no significant disagreements noted among the lexicons.
תְּנוּמָה n.f. slumber
base
H8572 תְּנוּמָה
8572 tnuwmah ten-oo-maw'
from 5123; drowsiness, i.e. sleep:--slumber(-ing).
see HEBREW for 05123
תְּנוּמָה (te.nu.mah) — slumber.
slumber, slumberings, sleep
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Ncfsa
עַפְעַף (aph'aph) refers to an eyelid, derived from a root meaning to flutter. It can also figuratively describe the rays of the morning sun or dawn. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning related to the eyelid, with a secondary figurative use.
[עַפְעַף] n.m. eyelid
base
H6079 עַפְעַף
6079 `aph`aph af-af'
from 5774; an eyelash (as fluttering); figuratively, morning
ray:--dawning, eye-lid.
see HEBREW for 05774
עַפְעַף (aph.aph) — eyelid.
1) eyelid
1a) eyelid
1b) of dawn, rays of sun (fig.)
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms