provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
Parallel Translations
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provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
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Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
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Provideth her bread in the summer, and gatherest her food in the harvest.
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Proverbs 6:8 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 10:5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.
- Proverbs 30:25 The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
- 1 Timothy 6:19 laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (7 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 6:8 Provideth her meat in the summer, [and]…
Pro 6:8 Provideth her meat in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.
Ver. 8. Provideth her meat in the summer.] She devours indeed much grain, made chiefly for the use of man; but deserves, saith an interpreter, for this very cause, to be fed with the finest wheat, and greatest dainties, that all men may have her always in their eye: diligent men to quicken their diligence, and sluggards to shame them for their slothfulness.
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And gathereth her food in harvest.] That may serve in winter. It is good for a man to keep somewhat by him, to have something in store, and not in diem vivere, to live for the day, {a} as the fowls of heaven do. Bonus Servatius facit bonum Bouifacium, as the Dutch proverb hath it; A good saver makes a well doer. Care must be taken ne promus sit fortior condo, that our layings out be not more than our layings up. Let no man here object that of our Saviour, "Care not for tomorrow," &c. There is a care of diligence, and a care of diffidence; a care of the head, and a care of the heart; the former is needful, the latter sinflil.
{a} Quintil.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain When they come forth in great numbers, as in…
When they come forth in great numbers, as in winter they stir not out of their holes.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?.... Or "lie"…
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?.... Or "lie" (q) in bed, indulging in sloth and ease; while the industrious ant is busy in getting in its provisions, even by moonlight, as naturalists (r) observe;
when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? and be about thy lawful calling? doing the duties of religion, and the business of life; providing things honest in the sight of all men; things necessary for thyself and family, and wherewith to do good to others; exercising a conscience void of offence both to God and men. Time should not be slept away, to the neglect of the affairs of life, nor of the concerns of the immortal soul and a future state; men should not be slothful in things temporal or spiritual: whatever may be the proper time to awake and arise out of sleep in a morning, which seems to be according to a man's circumstances, health and business; it is always high time for the sinner to awake out of the sleep of sin, and arise from the dead; and for the drowsy saint to arise out of his lethargy and carnal security.
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(q) "jacebis", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Gejerus; "cubabis", Piscator, Cocceius. (r) Aelian. de Animal. l. 4. c. 43.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Harvest. The economy and diligence of this littel republic…
Harvest. The economy and diligence of this littel republic is admirable. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxx. 11.) --- Some copies of the Septuagint add with St. Ambrose, (Hex. v. []1., &c.; Calmet) "or go to the bee, and behold what a worker it is, and how beautiful is its work; whose labours kings and private people use for health. But it is desirable and glorious to all; and though it be weak in strength, by the love of wisdom it has got forward" (Haydock) in esteem. (Calmet) --- Nature has given the form of a monarchy in bees, and of a democracy in the regulations of the ant. (Tournemine)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 8. Provideth her meat — While the original is…
8. Provideth her meat — While the original is used of any kind of food, it especially denotes grain. But it is roundly asserted that no European ants feed on any kind of grain — that they are altogether carnivorous. Bennett found that, however long they had been kept without food, they would not touch corn, (grain.) Nor has any species of ant been yet found with food of any kind laid up in its nest. These are certainly extraordinary statements, if correct, indicating that not only may popular opinion be wrong, but that a host of learned men in all ages have been in error. Aristotle, Pliny, Horace, Plutarch, Virgil, Juvenal, St. Jerome, as well as Solomon, may be quoted as authority for the fact that ants do lay up food in store for the future. It is true, Solomon does not say what kind of food the ant provides, but only that she provides food in the summer and in the harvest. So also Horace, Sat. i: “The ant, small as she is, sets us an example. She is very laborious. She carries in her mouth whatever she can, and adds it to her constructed store-heap, providing against a future period with great precaution.” The white ants, or termites, so abundant in tropical countries, do, according to reliable authority, store up food in their nests or houses. It is, moreover, admitted by some that ants do carry various things to their nests, as portions of leaves and kernels of grain, not, however, for food, as asserted, but because they have a fancy for them! “They are great robbers,” says Thomson, (Land and Book,) “and plunder by night and by day, and a farmer must keep a sharp eye on his [threshing] floor or they will abstract a large quantity of grain in a single night.” See article Ant, in M’Clintock and Strong.
To make this note the more complete, we insert, from “Popular Science Monthly,” as further illustrating the habits of certain species of the ant family, the following: — “Mr. Traherne Moggridge has recently, by careful observation in the south of Europe, confirmed in many of their minutest details the accounts given by ancient writers, as to the ants being eaters of grain. He describes the ants as ascending the stalks of cereals and gnawing off the grains, while others below detached the seed from the chaff and carried it home; as gnawing off the radicle, to prevent germination; and as spreading their stores in the sun to dry them after wet weather. These statements Mr. Moggridge has verified, supplementing them by discovering the granaries in which they are stored, sometimes excavated in solid rock. He has seen them in the act of collecting seeds, and has traced seeds to the granaries; he has seen them bring out the grains to dry after a rain, and nibble off the radicle from those which were germinating; lastly, he has seen them feed on the seeds so collected. Their depredations are of such extent as must cause serious loss to cultivators.” — E.R. Leland.
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The most wonderful ant in the world is one, so far as known, found only in the United States. Its scientific name is atta malefaciens, popularly called the stinging ant, on account of the pungency of its venom. Its habits have been thoroughly studied for twelve years by Dr. Lincecum, of Texas, and the results communicated to the Linnean Society by Charles Darwin, Esq. The following is an abstract of Dr. Lincecum’s communication: — “It is a large brownish ant. He names it the agricultural ant. It dwells in what may be called paved cities, and, like a thrifty farmer, makes suitable arrangements for the changing seasons. When it has selected a situation for its habitation, if on dry ground, it bores a hole, around which it raises the surface three, and sometimes six, inches, forming a low circular mound, having a very gentle inclination from the centre to the outer border, which, on an average, is three or four feet from the entrance. But if the location is on low, flat, wet land, liable to inundation, though perfectly dry at the time the ant sets to work, it nevertheless elevates the mound in the form of a pretty sharp cone, to the height of fifteen to twenty inches or more, and makes the entrance near the summit. Around the mound, in either case, the ant clears the ground of all obstructions, levels and smooths the surface to the distance of three or four feet from the gate of the city, giving the space the appearance of a handsome pavement, as it really is. Within this paved area not a blade of any green thing is allowed to grow, except a single species of grain-bearing grass. Having planted this crop in a circle around, two or three feet from the centre of the mound, the insect tends and cultivates it with constant care, cutting away all other grasses and weeds that may spring up amongst it and around it outside of the farm-circle to the extent of one or two feet more.
“The cultivated grass grows luxuriantly, and produces a heavy crop of small, white, flinty seeds, which, under the microscope, very closely resemble ordinary rice. When ripe it is carefully harvested, and carried by the workers, chaff and all, into the granary cells, where it is divested of the chaff and packed away. The chaff is taken out and thrown beyond the limits of the paved area.
“During protracted wet weather it sometimes happens that the provision stores become damp, and are liable to sprout and spoil. In this case, on the first fine day, the ants bring out the damp and moistened grain, and expose it to the sun till it is dry, when they carry it back again, and pack away all the sound seeds, leaving those that had sprouted to waste.
* * * *
“There can be no doubt of the fact that the particular species of grain-bearing grass is intentionally planted. In farmer-like manner the ground is carefully divested of all other grasses and weeds during the time it is growing. When it is ripe the grain is taken care of, the dry stubbs cut away and carried off, the paved area being left unencumbered till the ensuing autumn, when the same ant-rice reappears within the same circle, and receives the same agricultural attention as the previous crop; and so on from year to year, as I know to be the case in all situations where the ant settlements are protected from graminivorous animals.”
In a second letter, in answer to inquiries from Mr. Darwin, whether he supposed the ants planted the seeds for the ensuing crop, Dr. L. says: “I have not the least doubt of it. My conclusions are not from hasty or careless observation, nor from seeing the ants do something that looked like it, and then guessing at the results. I have at all seasons watched the same ant-cities during the last twelve years, and I know what I stated in my former letter is true. I visited the same cities yesterday, and found the crop of ant-rice growing finely, and exhibiting also the signs of high cultivation, and not a blade of any other kind of grass or weed was seen within twelve inches of the circular row of ant-rice.”
The author of the book remarks, that “the economical habits of this wonderful insect far surpass any thing that Solomon has written of the ant, and it is not too much to say, that if any of the scriptural writers had ventured to speak of an ant that not only laid up stores of grain, but actually prepared the soil for the crop, planted the seed, kept the ground free from weeds, and finally reaped the harvest, the statement would have been utterly disbelieved, and the credibility, not only of that particular writer, but of the rest of Scripture, severely damaged. Solomon’s statement concerning the ant has afforded one of the stock arguments against the truth of Scripture, and yet we have his statements not only corroborated to the very letter by those who have visited Palestine for the express purpose of investigating its zoology, but far surpassed by the observations of a scientific man [of the United States] who had watched the insects for a series of years.” Comp. Pro_30:25.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 8. The LXX. addition to this verse is interesting,…
8. The LXX. addition to this verse is interesting, both as illustrating their tendency to gloss, and also because it exhibits the bee in a favourable light, as an example of industry and wisdom, whereas, unless we regard it as latent in the use of the word as a proper name (Deborah, Jdg_4:4), that character of the insect is never referred to by the O.T. writers, who were familiar with it only in its wild state, and had no opportunity of watching its habits, but only noticed its vindictiveness in attacking men (Psa_118:12; Isa_7:18).
Their addition is:—
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“Or, go to the bee, and learn what a work woman she is,
And how comely she makes her work,
Whose labours kings and common people gather to them,
And she is desired and had in honour of all men for health;
And though she be weak in strength of body,
Yet through her honouring wisdom is she advanced.”
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her…
Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. It is this characteristic, combined with what has just been said, which gives point to the lesson the sluggard is to learn. The teacher, as it were, argues: If the ant, so insignificant a creature in the order of the animal kingdom, is so provident, how much more should you be you, a man endued with superior intelligence, and with so many more resources at hand, and with greater advantages! If the ant, with none to urge, direct, or control her work, is so industrious, surely she provides an example at which you, the sluggard, should blush, since there is every external incentive to rouse you to action your duty to the community, the urgent advice of your friends, and your dignity as a man. If she provides for the future, much more should you do so, and threw off your sloth. Objection has been taken to what is here stated of the provident habits of the ant in storing food, on the ground that it is carnivorous and passes the winter in a state of torpidity. That the ant does lay up stores for future use has, however, been the opinion of all ages. Thus Hesiod ("Days," 14) speaks of the ant as harvesting the grain, calling it idriv , "the provident." Virgil says ("Georg.," 1, 186; cf. "AEneid," 4:4027)"Veluti ingentem formicae farris acervum Quum populant hiemis memores, tectoque repenunt.
"So the ants, when they plunder a tall heap of corn, mindful of the winter, store it in their cave." The language of Horace ("Sat.," 1:50, 32) might be a comment on our passage"Parvula (nam exemplo est) magni formica laboris sicut Ore trahit quodcunque potest, atque addit acervo, Quem struit, haud ignara ac non incauta futuri, Quae, simul universum contristat Aquarius annum Non usquam prorepit, et illis utitur ante Quaesitis sapiens." "For thus the little ant (to human lore No mean example) forms her frugal store, Gathered, with mighty toils, on every side, Nor ignorant, nor careless to provide For future want; yet when the stars appear That darkly sadden the declining year, No more she comes abroad, but wisely lives On the fair store industrious summer gives. (Francis" Translation.)
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The same provident character is noted in Aesop"s fable, "The Ant and the Grasshopper;" see also Aristotle ("Hist. Nat.," 9:6). All objections on this subject appear to be based on insufficient data, and have been conclusively answered by recent observation. Apart from the remark of Buffon, that "the ants of tropical climates lay up provisions, and as they probably live the whole year, they submit themselves to regulations entirely unknown among the ants of Europe." The late Professor Darwin states of the agricultural ant of Texas, which in many features resembles the ant of Palestine, that it not only stores its food, but prepares the soil for the crops, keeps the ground free from weeds, and finally reaps the harvest (Journal of Linnaean Society, vol. 1, No. 21, p. 29). Canon Tristram also observes, "The language of the wise man is not only in accordance with the universal belief of his own time, but with the accurately ascertained facts of natural history. Contrary to its habits in colder climates, the ant is not there dormant through the winter; and among the tamerisks of the Dead Sea it may be seen, in January, actively engaged in collecting the aphides and saccharine exudations, in long flies passing and repassing up and down the trunk. Two of the most common species of the Holy Land (Alta barbara, the black ant, and Alta structor, the brown ant) are strictly seed feeders, and in summer lay up large stores of grain for winter use. These species are spread along the whole of the Mediterranean coasts, but are unknown in more northern climates. Hence writers who were ignorant of ants beyond those of their own countries have been presumptuous enough to deny the accuracy of Solomon"s statement" ("Nat. Hist. of the Bible," p. 320). The Mishna, section "Zeraim," also contains a curious piece of legislation which bears testimony to the storing properties of the ant.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.