6:10

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

10a
A little sleep,

10b
a little slumber,

10c
a little folding of the hands to rest,

6:10a–c

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest: The three phrases in this verse are all parallel. For the words sleep and slumber, see the note on 6:4a–b. Here in 6:10 there is a similar progression of meaning, from regular sleep to just resting. Poverty can result from sleep, snoozing, or even lying down in a comfortable position, with hands or arms clasped over the stomach or chest, in order to rest.

The speaker is probably being sarcastic. He is probably mimicking the words or attitude of lazy people, who are begging that they be allowed to sleep a little more. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

⌊You say to yourselves,⌋ “Let me sleep a little longer…

(In the Berean Standard Bible, Proverbs 6:10–11 is identical to 24:33–34.)

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