Proverbs 15:19 (YLT)

Passage

The way of the slothful <FI>is<Fi> as a hedge of briers, And the path of the upright is raised up.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 15:17 Better <FI>is<Fi> an allowance of green herbs and love there, Than a fatted ox, and hatred with it.

Proverbs 15:18 A man of fury stirreth up contention, And the slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 15:19 The way of the slothful <FI>is<Fi> as a hedge of briers, And the path of the upright is raised up.

Proverbs 15:20 A wise son rejoiceth a father. And a foolish man is despising his mother.

Proverbs 15:21 Folly is joy to one lacking heart, And a man of intelligence directeth <FI>his<Fi> going.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "A man of fury stirreth up contention..." into verse 20's "A wise son rejoiceth a father And...", so "slothful" 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 "slothful" and "hedge" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.