Add parallel Print Page Options

A prudent servant will rule in place of a disgraceful son
    and will share in the inheritance among brothers.

Read full chapter

A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully,
    and in the midst of brothers he will share his inheritance.

Read full chapter

Avoiding Fools and Their Foolishness

Whoever is lazy regarding his work
    is also a brother to the master of destruction.

Read full chapter

Even he who is slack in his work,
    he is brother to a master[a] of destruction.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:9 Or “owner”

15 Laziness puts one to sleep,
    and an idle person will go hungry.

Read full chapter

15 Laziness will bring on a deep sleep,
    and a person[a] of idleness will suffer hunger.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:15 Or “soul,” or “life”

24 The lazy person buries his hand in his dish
    and doesn’t bother to bring it back to his mouth.

Read full chapter

24 A lazy person buries his hand in the dish,
    and even to his mouth he will not bring it back.

Read full chapter

A lazy person doesn’t plow in the proper[a] season;
    he looks for a harvest, but there is nothing.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:4 The Heb. lacks proper

The lazy person will not plow in season;
    he will expect at the harvest, but there will be nothing.

Read full chapter

13 Do not love sleep or you’ll become poor,
    keep your eyes open and you’ll have plenty of food.

Read full chapter

13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor;
    open your eyes and have plenty bread.

Read full chapter

Plans of the persistent surely lead to productivity,
    but all who are hasty will surely become poor.

Read full chapter

The plans of the diligent only lead to abundance,
    but all who are hasty, only to want.

Read full chapter

17 Pleasure lovers become poor;
    loving wine and oil doesn’t bring riches.

Read full chapter

17 A man of want is he who loves pleasure;
    he who loves wine and oil[a] will not become rich.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:17 Or “fat”

25 What the lazy person craves will kill him,
    because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he continues to crave,
    while the righteous person gives without holding back.

Read full chapter

25 The craving of a lazy person will kill him,
    for his hands refuse to work.[a]
26 All day[b] he craves a craving,
    but the righteous will give and not hold back.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:25 Or “make”
  2. Proverbs 21:26 Literally “All the day”

13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside!
    I will be killed in the street!”

Read full chapter

13 A lazy person says “A lion in the street!
    In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!”

Read full chapter

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
    He will work for kings, not unimportant people.

Read full chapter

29 A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see:
    before kings, he will serve;
    he will not serve before the commoners.

Read full chapter

10 If you grow weary when times are troubled,
    your strength is limited.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:10 Or undersized

10 If you faint on the day of adversity,
    little is your strength.

Read full chapter