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A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame,
    and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.

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

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One who is slack in his work
    is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

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

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Footnotes

  1. 18:9 Lit master of destruction

15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep.
    The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

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

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24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

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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 sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter;
    therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

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

13 Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty.
    Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

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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 surely lead to profit;
    and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.

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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 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man.
    He who loves wine and oil won’t be rich.

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

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25 The desire of the sluggard kills him,
    for his hands refuse to labor.
26 There are those who covet greedily all day long;
    but the righteous give and don’t withhold.

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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. 21:26 Lit He craves a craving

13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
    I will be killed in the streets!”

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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 a man skilled in his work?
    He will serve kings.
    He won’t serve obscure men.

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

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10 If you falter in the time of trouble,
    your strength is small.

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

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