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The wishes that the sluggard frames The sluggard

John Newton printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book III, no. 78, under Proverbs 6:10, 30, 13, 4.

WRITTEN BY

John Newton 1725–1807

PRINTED

1779 Olney Hymns · no. 78

METRE

Common Metre 8.6.8.6 · 8 stanzas

WRITTEN ON

Proverbs 6:10, 30, 13, 4 the verse printed above it

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 8 stanzas as Newton printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.

SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes

AMONG THE SCRIPTURES

The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.

a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here

STANZA I

The wishes that the sluggard frames

The wishes that the sluggard frames,

Of course must fruitless prove;

With folded arms he stands and dreams,

But has no heart to move.

No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.

Where Newton found it

Newton printed the hymn under Proverbs 6:10, 30, 13, 4. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, PROVERBS 6:10, 30, 13, 4 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ PROVERBS 6

The wishes that the sluggard frames, Of course must fruitless prove; With folded arms he stands and dreams, But has no heart to move. STANZA I

Its place in the book

Book III of the hymn book, “On the progress and changes of the spiritual life”, holds these hymns in this order: 106 hymns. This is number 78. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 78 · JOHN NEWTON · THIS HYMN The wishes that the sluggard frames

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