23 (A)Much food is in the [a]fallow ground of the poor,
And for lack of justice there is [b]waste.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:23 uncultivated
  2. Proverbs 13:23 Lit. what is swept away

23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
    but injustice sweeps it away.

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11 (A)He who [a]tills his land will be satisfied with (B)bread,
But he who follows [b]frivolity (C)is devoid of [c]understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:11 works or cultivates
  2. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. vain things
  3. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. heart

11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(A)

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19 (A)He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!

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19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.(A)

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Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

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The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

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He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful;
And a wise man’s heart [a]discerns both time and judgment,
Because (A)for every matter there is a time and judgment,
Though the misery of man [b]increases greatly.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:5 Lit. knows
  2. Ecclesiastes 8:6 is great upon him

Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm,
    and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,(A)
    though a person may be weighed down by misery.

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(A)A good man deals graciously and lends;
He will guide his affairs (B)with discretion.

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Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,(A)
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

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“Even (A)the stork in the heavens
Knows her appointed times;
And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow
Observe the time of their coming.
But (B)My people do not know the judgment of the Lord.

“How can you say, ‘We are wise,
(C)And the law of the Lord is with us’?
Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
(D)The wise men are ashamed,
They are dismayed and taken.
Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord;
So (E)what wisdom do they have?
10 Therefore (F)I will give their wives to others,
And their fields to those who will inherit them;
Because from the least even to the greatest
Everyone is given to (G)covetousness;
From the prophet even to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.

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Even the stork in the sky
    knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush
    observe the time of their migration.
But my people do not know(A)
    the requirements of the Lord.

“‘How can you say, “We are wise,
    for we have the law(B) of the Lord,”
when actually the lying pen of the scribes
    has handled it falsely?
The wise(C) will be put to shame;
    they will be dismayed(D) and trapped.(E)
Since they have rejected the word(F) of the Lord,
    what kind of wisdom(G) do they have?
10 Therefore I will give their wives to other men
    and their fields to new owners.(H)
From the least to the greatest,
    all are greedy for gain;(I)
prophets(J) and priests alike,
    all practice deceit.(K)

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23 Be diligent to know the state of your (A)flocks,
And attend to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 (B)When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.

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23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,(A)
    give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,(B)
    and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
    and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
    and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
    and to nourish your female servants.

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18 (A)Whoever [a]keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:18 protects or tends

18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,(A)
    and whoever protects their master will be honored.(B)

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14 (A)A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth,
(B)And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.

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14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(A)
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.(B)

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The righteousness of the blameless will [a]direct his way aright,
But the wicked will fall by his own (A)wickedness.
The righteousness of the upright will deliver them,
But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:5 Or make smooth or straight

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,(A)
    but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.(B)

The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
    but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.(C)

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The Folly of Indolence

(A)Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
Which, having no [a]captain,
Overseer or ruler,
Provides her [b]supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
(B)How long will you [c]slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 (C)So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:7 Lit. leader
  2. Proverbs 6:8 Lit. bread
  3. Proverbs 6:9 Lit. lie down

Go to the ant, you sluggard;(A)
    consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer(B)
    and gathers its food at harvest.(C)

How long will you lie there, you sluggard?(D)
    When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(E)
11 and poverty(F) will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.

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