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

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

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Footnotes

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

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

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

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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

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

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

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:17 Or “fat”

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

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.

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Footnotes

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

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

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

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27 Prepare your work in the street and get it ready for yourself in the field;
    afterward, then[a] you shall build your house.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:27 Hebrew “and”

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)

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30 I passed by the field of a lazy person,
    and over the vineyard of a person lacking sense;[a]
31 and behold, it was overgrown—all of it was covered with thorns, its surface with nettles,
    and its stone wall[b] was broken down.
32 Then I myself saw and my heart[c] considered;
    I looked, and I took hold of instruction:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands for rest,
34 and your poverty will come running,
    and your lack like an armed warrior.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:30 Literally “heart”
  2. Proverbs 24:31 Literally “a wall of his/its stones”
  3. Proverbs 24:32 Or “mind”

14 A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.(A)

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14 The door turns on its hinge,
    and a lazy person on his bed.

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18 Whoever tends a fig tree(A) will eat its fruit,(B)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

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18 He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and he who guards his master[a] will be honored.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:18 Or “lord”

23 Know well the condition of your flock,(A)
and pay attention to your herds,
24 for wealth is not forever;(B)
not even a crown lasts for all time.
25 When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
26 lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goat’s milk for your food—
food for your household
and nourishment for your female servants.(C)

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23 You will surely know the condition[a] of your flock;
    your heart[b] attends to the herds.
24 For riches are not forever,
    nor a crown for generation after generation.
25 When the grass is gone, then green growth will appear,
    and the herbs of the mountains will be gathered.
26 Lambs will be your clothing,
    and goats the price of the field.
27 And there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
    for the food of your household and the nourishment[c] of your maidservants.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:23 Literally “faces”
  2. Proverbs 27:23 Or “mind”
  3. Proverbs 27:27 Literally “life”

19 The one who works his land
will have plenty of food,(A)
but whoever chases fantasies
will have his fill of poverty.(B)

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19 He who tills his ground will have plenty bread,
    but he who follows fantasies will have plenty of poverty.

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