15 Laziness induces deep sleep,
and a lazy person will go hungry.(A)

Read full chapter

15 Laziness brings on deep sleep;
    a slacker goes hungry.

Read full chapter

15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.(A)

Read full chapter

24 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth.(A)

Read full chapter

24 Lazy people bury their hand in the bowl;
    they won’t even put it to their mouth.

Read full chapter

24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(A)

Read full chapter

The slacker does not plow during planting season;[a]
at harvest time he looks,[b] and there is nothing.(A)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:4 Lit plow in winter
  2. Proverbs 20:4 Lit inquires

The lazy don’t plow during winter;
    at harvest they look but find nothing.

Read full chapter

Sluggards(A) do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.(B)

Read full chapter

13 Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;
open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.(A)

Read full chapter

13 Don’t love sleep or you will be poor;
    stay alert and you will have plenty to eat.

Read full chapter

13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;(A)
    stay awake and you will have food to spare.

Read full chapter

17 The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.(A)

Read full chapter

17 Those who love pleasure end up poor;
    lovers of wine and oil won’t get rich.

Read full chapter

17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
    whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(A)

Read full chapter

25 A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.(A)
26 He is filled with craving[a] all day long,
but the righteous give and don’t hold back.(B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:26 Lit He craves a craving

25 The desires of the lazy will kill them,
    because their hands refuse to do anything.
26 The lazy desire things constantly,
    but the righteous give without holding back.

Read full chapter

25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,(A)
    because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
    but the righteous(B) give without sparing.(C)

Read full chapter

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of unknown men.(A)

Read full chapter

29 Do you see people who work skillfully?
    They will work for kings
        but not work for lowly people.

Read full chapter

Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilled(A) in their work?
    They will serve(B) before kings;(C)
    they will not serve before officials of low rank.

Read full chapter

27 Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field;(A)
afterward, build your house.

Read full chapter

27 Get your outside work done;
    make preparations in the field;
    then you can build your house.

Read full chapter

27 Put your outdoor work in order
    and get your fields ready;
    after that, build your house.

Read full chapter

30 I went by the field of a slacker
and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense.
31 Thistles had come up everywhere,
weeds covered the ground,(A)
and the stone wall was ruined.
32 I saw, and took it to heart;
I looked, and received instruction:
33 a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
34 and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.(B)

Read full chapter

30 I happened upon the field of a lazy person,
    by the vineyard of one with no sense.
31 Thorns grew all over it;
    weeds covered the ground,
    and the stone wall was falling down.
32 I observed this and took it to heart;
    I saw it and learned a lesson.
33 “A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little lying down with folded arms”—
34     and poverty will come on you like a prowler,
    deprivation like a man with a shield.

Read full chapter

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)

Read full chapter