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

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

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Avoiding Fools and Their Foolishness

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

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

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

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:4 The Heb. lacks proper

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

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

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

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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 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.

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

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

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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 work for kings, not unimportant people.

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:10 Or undersized