John Gill Commentary Proverbs 12:24

"The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; But the slothful shall be put under taskwork." — Proverbs 12:24 (ASV)

The hand of the diligent shall bear rule
"Shall become rich", so Jarchi interprets it, according to (Proverbs 10:4) ; Through diligence men get riches, and through riches they arrive to power and authority over others:

From apprentices and journeymen workmen they become masters of their business; diligent men become masters of families, and have servants and workmen under them;

become magistrates in cities, and bear rule over their fellow citizens, and are advanced to places of power and authority in the commonwealth; see (Proverbs 22:29) ;

---

but the slothful shall be under tribute ;
the "slothful" or "deceitful hand" ^F12 , for so it may be rendered and supplied;

For usually such who are slothful, and do not care for business, get their living by deceitful methods, by tricking and sharping;

and such become subject to others, to them that are diligent; hence said to be "under tribute", or tributary; because those that are tributary are in subjection to those to whom they pay tribute.

FOOTNOTES:

• F12: "Manus fraudulentiae", Michaelis; "dolosa", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Mercerus, Gejerus; "fraudulenta", Tigurine version, Vatablus.