Proverbs 6:8

Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

Provideth her meat in the summer, (and) gathereth her food in the harvest. The heat of summer does not prevent her toiling while the favourable season for getting food lasts. The European ants are dormant in winter, and therefore need no food. But there may be some species of ants abroad which have magazines for food. Their Hebrew name, nemalah, is perhaps from namal, 'to cut,' like 'insect,' referring to the cut-off or thin appearance at the junction of the thorax and abdomen: or else the Arabic nemil, clever. The Arabs used to place an ant in a newborn infant's hand, saying, May the boy turn out clever. She is a tacit reproof to the indolent youth, who thinks only of the present, and makes no provision for the future, now in the summer-time of his life. Our whole present life is the time for action; the future, for retribution, which shall be ushered in by the judgment: the latter is the harvest (cf. Matthew 25:3). 'The ant has three apartments-one, the general lodging of all; a second, for storing food; a third, the repository of the dead' (Plutarch). OElian (Prov. 6:49; 6:43 ) says, 'They bury their dead, and so purify their dwelling; they hide them in the follicles of the grains.' The Septuagint Arabic, Clemens Alexandrinus, Origen, and Basil add here, 'Or go to the bee, and learn how laborious she is, and how she plies her august task; the fruit of whose toils both kings and private individuals enjoy healthfully. And she is desired and renowned before all; and though weak in strength, is advanced through the honour she pays to wisdom.' The Hebrew, Chaldaic, Vulgate, and Syriac reject it.