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A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.(A)

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A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.

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One who is slack in work
    is close kin to a vandal.(A)

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The one who is truly lazy in his work
is brother to a vandal.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:9 Lit master of destruction

15 Laziness brings on deep sleep;
    an idle person will suffer hunger.(A)

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

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24 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish
    and will not even bring it back to the mouth.(A)

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

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The lazy person does not plow in season;
    harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.(A)

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

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Footnotes

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

13 Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.(A)

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

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The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.(A)

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The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.(A)

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17 Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
    whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.

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

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25 The craving of the lazy person is fatal,
    for lazy hands refuse to labor.(A)
26 All day long the wicked covet,[a]
    but the righteous give and do not hold back.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.26 Gk: Heb all day long one covets covetously

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)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:26 Lit He craves a craving

13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”(A)

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13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!”(A)

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29 Do you see those who are skillful in their work?
    They will serve kings;
    they will not serve common people.(A)

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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)

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10 If you faint in the day of adversity,
    your strength being small;(A)

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10 If you do nothing in a difficult time,
your strength is limited.

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