Jeremiah's Complaint

12 (A)Righteous are you, O Lord,
    when I complain to you;
    yet I would plead my case before you.
(B)Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
    Why do all (C)who are treacherous thrive?
You plant them, and they take root;
    they grow and produce fruit;
(D)you are near in their mouth
    and far from their heart.
(E)But you, O Lord, know me;
    (F)you see me, and test my heart toward you.
(G)Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
    and set them apart for (H)the day of slaughter.
(I)How long will the land mourn
    and the grass of every field wither?
(J)For the evil of those who dwell in it
    (K)the beasts and the birds are swept away,
    because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”

The Lord Answers Jeremiah

“If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you,
    how will you compete with horses?
And if in a safe land you are so trusting,
    what will you do in (L)the thicket of the Jordan?
For (M)even your brothers and the house of your father,
    (N)even they have dealt treacherously with you;
    they are in full cry after you;
(O)do not believe them,
    though they speak friendly words to you.”

“I have forsaken my house;
    I have abandoned (P)my heritage;
I have given (Q)the beloved of my soul
    into the hands of her enemies.
(R)My heritage has become to me
    like a lion in the forest;
she has lifted up her voice against me;
    therefore I hate her.
Is (S)my heritage to me like (T)a hyena's lair?
    Are the (U)birds of prey against her all around?
Go, (V)assemble all the wild beasts;
    bring them to devour.
10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard;
    (W)they have trampled down my portion;
they have made my pleasant portion
    a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it a desolation;
    desolate, (X)it mourns to me.
The whole land is made desolate,
    (Y)but no man lays it to heart.
12 Upon all the bare heights in the desert
    destroyers have come,
for the sword of the Lord devours
    from one end of the land to the other;
    no flesh has peace.
13 (Z)They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns;
    (AA)they have tired themselves out but profit nothing.
They shall be ashamed of their[a] harvests
    (AB)because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”

14 Thus says the Lord concerning all (AC)my evil neighbors (AD)who touch the heritage that (AE)I have given my people Israel to inherit: “Behold, I will pluck them up from their land, and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. 15 And after I have plucked them up, I will again have compassion on them, (AF)and I will bring them again each to his heritage and each to his land. 16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, (AG)to swear by my name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, (AH)then they shall be built up in the midst of my people. 17 (AI)But if any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it, declares the Lord.”

The Ruined Loincloth

13 Thus says the Lord to me, “Go and buy a linen loincloth and (AJ)put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water.” So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the Lord, and put it around my waist. And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, “Take the loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, (AK)go to the Euphrates and hide it there in (AL)a cleft of the rock.” So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me. And after many days the Lord said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there (AM)the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.” Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took (AN)the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was (AO)spoiled; it was (AP)good for nothing.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “Thus says the Lord: (AQ)Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great (AR)pride of Jerusalem. 10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, (AS)who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is (AT)good for nothing. 11 For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, (AU)that they might be for me a people, (AV)a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.

The Jars Filled with Wine

12 “You shall speak to them this word: ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Every jar shall be filled with wine.”’ And they will say to you, ‘Do we not indeed know that (AW)every jar will be filled with wine?’ 13 Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: (AX)Behold, I will fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land: (AY)the kings who sit on David's throne, (AZ)the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 14 And I will (BA)dash them one against another, fathers and sons together, declares the Lord. I will not pity or spare or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.’”

Exile Threatened

15 Hear and give ear; be not proud,
    for the Lord has spoken.
16 (BB)Give glory to the Lord your God
    (BC)before he brings darkness,
before your feet stumble
    on the twilight mountains,
and (BD)while you look for light
    he turns it into gloom
    and makes it (BE)deep darkness.
17 But if you will not listen,
    (BF)my soul will weep in secret for your pride;
my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears,
    because the Lord's flock has been taken captive.

18 Say to (BG)the king and (BH)the queen mother:
    “Take a lowly seat,
for (BI)your beautiful crown
    has come down from your head.”
19 (BJ)The cities of the Negeb are shut up,
    with none to open them;
all Judah is taken into exile,
    wholly taken into exile.

20 “Lift up your eyes (BK)and see
    those who come from the north.
Where is the flock that was given you,
    your beautiful flock?
21 What will you say when they set as head over you
    those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you?
(BL)Will not pangs take hold of you
    like those of a woman in labor?
22 And if you say in your heart,
    (BM)‘Why have these things come upon me?’
it is for the greatness of your iniquity
    that (BN)your skirts are lifted up
    and you suffer violence.
23 (BO)Can the Ethiopian change his skin
    or (BP)the leopard his spots?
Then also you can do good
    who are accustomed to do evil.
24 I will scatter you[b] (BQ)like chaff
    driven by the wind from the desert.
25 (BR)This is your lot,
    the portion I have measured out to you, declares the Lord,
because (BS)you have forgotten me
    and trusted in lies.
26 (BT)I myself will lift up your skirts over your face,
    and your shame will be seen.
27 I have seen (BU)your abominations,
    your adulteries and (BV)neighings, your lewd whorings,
    (BW)on the hills in the field.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
    How long will it be (BX)before you are made clean?”

Famine, Sword, and Pestilence

14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning (BY)the drought:

(BZ)“Judah mourns,
    and (CA)her gates languish;
her people lament on the ground,
    and (CB)the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
Her nobles send their servants for water;
    they come to the cisterns;
they find no water;
    they return with their vessels empty;
they are (CC)ashamed and confounded
    and (CD)cover their heads.
Because of the ground that is dismayed,
    since there is (CE)no rain on the land,
the farmers are ashamed;
    they cover their heads.
Even (CF)the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.
(CG)The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights;
    they pant for air like jackals;
their eyes fail
    because there is no vegetation.

“Though our iniquities testify against us,
    act, O Lord, (CH)for your name's sake;
(CI)for our backslidings are many;
    (CJ)we have sinned against you.
(CK)O you hope of Israel,
    its savior in time of trouble,
why should you be like a stranger in the land,
    like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
Why should you be like a man confused,
    (CL)like a mighty warrior who cannot save?
Yet (CM)you, O Lord, are in the midst of us,
    and (CN)we are called by your name;
    (CO)do not leave us.”

10 Thus says the Lord concerning this people:
“They have loved to wander thus;
    they have not restrained their feet;
(CP)therefore the Lord does not accept them;
    (CQ)now he will remember their iniquity
    and punish their sins.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:13 Hebrew your
  2. Jeremiah 13:24 Hebrew them

Jeremiah’s Complaint

12 You are always righteous,(A) Lord,
    when I bring a case(B) before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:(C)
    Why does the way of the wicked prosper?(D)
    Why do all the faithless live at ease?
You have planted(E) them, and they have taken root;
    they grow and bear fruit.(F)
You are always on their lips
    but far from their hearts.(G)
Yet you know me, Lord;
    you see me and test(H) my thoughts about you.
Drag them off like sheep(I) to be butchered!
    Set them apart for the day of slaughter!(J)
How long will the land lie parched(K)
    and the grass in every field be withered?(L)
Because those who live in it are wicked,
    the animals and birds have perished.(M)
Moreover, the people are saying,
    “He will not see what happens to us.”

God’s Answer

“If you have raced with men on foot
    and they have worn you out,
    how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble[a] in safe country,
    how will you manage in the thickets(N) by[b] the Jordan?
Your relatives, members of your own family—
    even they have betrayed you;
    they have raised a loud cry against you.(O)
Do not trust them,
    though they speak well of you.(P)

“I will forsake(Q) my house,
    abandon(R) my inheritance;
I will give the one I love(S)
    into the hands of her enemies.(T)
My inheritance has become to me
    like a lion(U) in the forest.
She roars at me;
    therefore I hate her.(V)
Has not my inheritance become to me
    like a speckled bird of prey
    that other birds of prey surround and attack?
Go and gather all the wild beasts;
    bring them to devour.(W)
10 Many shepherds(X) will ruin my vineyard
    and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
    into a desolate wasteland.(Y)
11 It will be made a wasteland,(Z)
    parched and desolate before me;(AA)
the whole land will be laid waste
    because there is no one who cares.
12 Over all the barren heights in the desert
    destroyers will swarm,
for the sword(AB) of the Lord(AC) will devour(AD)
    from one end of the land to the other;(AE)
    no one will be safe.(AF)
13 They will sow wheat but reap thorns;
    they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.(AG)
They will bear the shame of their harvest
    because of the Lord’s fierce anger.”(AH)

14 This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance(AI) I gave my people Israel, I will uproot(AJ) them from their lands and I will uproot(AK) the people of Judah from among them. 15 But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion(AL) and will bring(AM) each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. 16 And if they learn(AN) well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’(AO)—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal(AP)—then they will be established among my people.(AQ) 17 But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy(AR) it,” declares the Lord.

A Linen Belt

13 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:(AS) “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath[c](AT) and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.(AU)

Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride(AV) of Jerusalem. 10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen(AW) to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts(AX) and go after other gods(AY) to serve and worship them,(AZ) will be like this belt—completely useless!(BA) 11 For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown(BB) and praise and honor.(BC) But they have not listened.’(BD)

Wineskins

12 “Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13 then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness(BE) all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem. 14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity(BF) or mercy or compassion(BG) to keep me from destroying(BH) them.’”

Threat of Captivity

15 Hear and pay attention,
    do not be arrogant,
    for the Lord has spoken.(BI)
16 Give glory(BJ) to the Lord your God
    before he brings the darkness,
before your feet stumble(BK)
    on the darkening hills.
You hope for light,
    but he will turn it to utter darkness
    and change it to deep gloom.(BL)
17 If you do not listen,(BM)
    I will weep in secret
    because of your pride;
my eyes will weep bitterly,
    overflowing with tears,(BN)
    because the Lord’s flock(BO) will be taken captive.(BP)

18 Say to the king(BQ) and to the queen mother,(BR)
    “Come down from your thrones,
for your glorious crowns(BS)
    will fall from your heads.”
19 The cities in the Negev will be shut up,
    and there will be no one to open them.
All Judah(BT) will be carried into exile,
    carried completely away.

20 Look up and see
    those who are coming from the north.(BU)
Where is the flock(BV) that was entrusted to you,
    the sheep of which you boasted?
21 What will you say when the Lord sets over you
    those you cultivated as your special allies?(BW)
Will not pain grip you
    like that of a woman in labor?(BX)
22 And if you ask yourself,
    “Why has this happened to me?”(BY)
it is because of your many sins(BZ)
    that your skirts have been torn off(CA)
    and your body mistreated.(CB)
23 Can an Ethiopian[d] change his skin
    or a leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
    who are accustomed to doing evil.(CC)

24 “I will scatter you like chaff(CD)
    driven by the desert wind.(CE)
25 This is your lot,
    the portion(CF) I have decreed for you,”
declares the Lord,
“because you have forgotten(CG) me
    and trusted in false gods.(CH)
26 I will pull up your skirts over your face
    that your shame may be seen(CI)
27 your adulteries and lustful neighings,
    your shameless prostitution!(CJ)
I have seen your detestable acts
    on the hills and in the fields.(CK)
Woe to you, Jerusalem!
    How long will you be unclean?”(CL)

Drought, Famine, Sword

14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(CM)

“Judah mourns,(CN)
    her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
    and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
The nobles send their servants for water;
    they go to the cisterns
    but find no water.(CO)
They return with their jars unfilled;
    dismayed and despairing,
    they cover their heads.(CP)
The ground is cracked
    because there is no rain in the land;(CQ)
the farmers are dismayed
    and cover their heads.
Even the doe in the field
    deserts her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.(CR)
Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights(CS)
    and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
    for lack of food.”(CT)

Although our sins testify(CU) against us,
    do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.(CV)
For we have often rebelled;(CW)
    we have sinned(CX) against you.
You who are the hope(CY) of Israel,
    its Savior(CZ) in times of distress,(DA)
why are you like a stranger in the land,
    like a traveler who stays only a night?
Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
    like a warrior powerless to save?(DB)
You are among(DC) us, Lord,
    and we bear your name;(DD)
    do not forsake(DE) us!

10 This is what the Lord says about this people:

“They greatly love to wander;
    they do not restrain their feet.(DF)
So the Lord does not accept(DG) them;
    he will now remember(DH) their wickedness
    and punish them for their sins.”(DI)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:5 Or you feel secure only
  2. Jeremiah 12:5 Or the flooding of
  3. Jeremiah 13:4 Or possibly to the Euphrates; similarly in verses 5-7
  4. Jeremiah 13:23 Hebrew Cushite (probably a person from the upper Nile region)

Greeting

Paul, (A)Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the (B)Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

(C)Grace to you and peace.

The Thessalonians' Faith and Example

(D)We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly[a] (E)mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before (F)our God and Father (G)your work of faith and labor of (H)love and (I)steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, (J)brothers[b] loved by God, (K)that he has chosen you, because (L)our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and (M)in the Holy Spirit and with full (N)conviction. You know (O)what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And (P)you became imitators of us (Q)and of the Lord, for (R)you received the word in much affliction, (S)with the (T)joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord (U)sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth (V)everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of (W)reception we had among you, and how (X)you turned to God (Y)from idols to serve the living and (Z)true God, 10 and (AA)to wait for his Son (AB)from heaven, (AC)whom he raised from the dead, Jesus (AD)who delivers us from (AE)the wrath to come.

Paul's Ministry to the Thessalonians

For you yourselves know, brothers,[c] that our (AF)coming to you (AG)was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated (AH)at Philippi, as you know, (AI)we had boldness in our God (AJ)to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much (AK)conflict. For (AL)our appeal does not spring from (AM)error or (AN)impurity or (AO)any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God (AP)to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not (AQ)to please man, but to please God (AR)who tests our hearts. (AS)For we never came with words of flattery,[d] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—(AT)God is witness. (AU)Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, (AV)though we could have made (AW)demands as (AX)apostles of Christ. But we were (AY)gentle[e] among you, (AZ)like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God (BA)but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:2 Or without ceasing
  2. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 9, 14, 17
  4. 1 Thessalonians 2:5 Or with a flattering speech
  5. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts infants

Paul, Silas[a](A) and Timothy,(B)

To the church of the Thessalonians(C) in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.(D)

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

We always thank God for all of you(E) and continually mention you in our prayers.(F) We remember before our God and Father(G) your work produced by faith,(H) your labor prompted by love,(I) and your endurance inspired by hope(J) in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God,(K) that he has chosen you, because our gospel(L) came to you not simply with words but also with power,(M) with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know(N) how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us(O) and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering(P) with the joy(Q) given by the Holy Spirit.(R) And so you became a model(S) to all the believers in Macedonia(T) and Achaia.(U) The Lord’s message(V) rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.(W) Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned(X) to God from idols(Y) to serve the living and true God,(Z) 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven,(AA) whom he raised from the dead(AB)—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.(AC)

Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you(AD) was not without results.(AE) We had previously suffered(AF) and been treated outrageously in Philippi,(AG) as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.(AH) For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,(AI) nor are we trying to trick you.(AJ) On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.(AK) We are not trying to please people(AL) but God, who tests our hearts.(AM) You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed(AN)—God is our witness.(AO) We were not looking for praise from people,(AP) not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles(AQ) of Christ we could have asserted our authority.(AR) Instead, we were like young children[c] among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,(AS) so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God(AT) but our lives as well.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Greek Silvanus, a variant of Silas
  2. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 2:1, 9, 14, 17; 3:7; 4:1, 10, 13; 5:1, 4, 12, 14, 25, 27.
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some manuscripts were gentle

How Long, O Lord?

A Psalm of (A)Asaph.

79 O God, (B)the nations have come into your (C)inheritance;
    they have defiled your (D)holy temple;
    they have (E)laid Jerusalem in ruins.
They have given (F)the bodies of your servants
    to the birds of the heavens for food,
    the flesh of your (G)faithful to (H)the beasts of the earth.
They have poured out their blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there was (I)no one to bury them.
We have become (J)a taunt to our neighbors,
    (K)mocked and derided by those around us.

(L)How long, O Lord? Will you be angry (M)forever?
    Will your (N)jealousy (O)burn like fire?
(P)Pour out your anger on the nations
    that (Q)do not know you,
and on the kingdoms
    that (R)do not call upon your name!
For they have devoured Jacob
    and laid waste his habitation.

(S)Do not remember against us (T)our former iniquities;[a]
    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
    for we are (U)brought very low.
(V)Help us, O God of our salvation,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and (W)atone for our sins,
    for your (X)name's sake!
10 (Y)Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
Let (Z)the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
    be known among the nations before our eyes!

11 Let (AA)the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those (AB)doomed to die!
12 Return (AC)sevenfold into the (AD)lap of our neighbors
    the (AE)taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
13 But we your people, the (AF)sheep of your pasture,
    will (AG)give thanks to you forever;
    from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 79:8 Or the iniquities of former generations

Psalm 79

A psalm of Asaph.

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;(A)
    they have defiled(B) your holy temple,
    they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.(C)
They have left the dead bodies of your servants
    as food for the birds of the sky,(D)
    the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.(E)
They have poured out blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there is no one to bury(F) the dead.(G)
We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
    of scorn(H) and derision to those around us.(I)

How long,(J) Lord? Will you be angry(K) forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire?(L)
Pour out your wrath(M) on the nations
    that do not acknowledge(N) you,
on the kingdoms
    that do not call on your name;(O)
for they have devoured(P) Jacob
    and devastated his homeland.

Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;(Q)
    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
    for we are in desperate need.(R)
Help us,(S) God our Savior,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
    for your name’s sake.(T)
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”(U)

Before our eyes, make known among the nations
    that you avenge(V) the outpoured blood(W) of your servants.
11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
12 Pay back into the laps(X) of our neighbors seven times(Y)
    the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
13 Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,(Z)
    will praise you forever;(AA)
from generation to generation
    we will proclaim your praise.

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30 (A)I passed by the field of a sluggard,
    by the vineyard of a man (B)lacking sense,
31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
    the ground was covered with nettles,
    and its stone (C)wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and (D)considered it;
    I looked and received instruction.
33 (E)A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want like an armed man.

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30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(A)
    past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(B)
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.(C)

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