Proverbs 15:19 (LSB)

Passage

The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns, But the path of the upright is a highway.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:17 Better is a dish of vegetables where there is love Than a fattened ox and hatred in it.

Proverbs 15:18 A hot‑tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger quiets a dispute.

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns, But the path of the upright is a highway.

Proverbs 15:20 A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother.

Proverbs 15:21 Folly is gladness to him who lacks a heart of wisdom, But a man of discernment walks straight.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sluggard", "hedge", "thorns", "path", "upright", and "highway". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sluggard" and "hedge", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "A hot tempered man stirs up strife..." into verse 20's "A wise son makes a father glad...", so "sluggard" and "hedge" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sluggard" and "hedge" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.