He becometh poor that dealeth [with] a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Ver. 4. He becometh poor.] Lest any should say, If God do all, we need do the less. Doing you must be, saith the wise man, or else the beggar will catch you by the back. Labour also you must with your hands, "working the thing that is good, that ye may have to give to him that needeth." Eph 4:28
But the hand of the diligent.] Or, Of the nimble; that do motitare, saith Kimchi, are active and agile; that will lose nothing for looking after, but take care of smallest matters that all go right, being frugal and parsimonious of time, husbanding the opportunity of thriving and plenty. How did Boaz follow the business himself. How were his eyes in every corner, on the servants, and on the reapers, yea, on the gleaners too. He doth even lodge in the midst of his husbandry, Ruth 2:4,14 ; Ruth 3:7 ; Rth 3:14 as knowing well the truth of that proverbial sentence, Procul a villa sua dissitus iactura vicinus, a - He that is far from his business, is not far from loss.
a Columel.