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15 Lazy people sleep soundly,
    but idleness leaves them hungry.

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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 Lazy people take food in their hand
    but don’t even lift it to their mouth.

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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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Those too lazy to plow in the right season
    will have no food at the harvest.

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

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13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty.
    Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!

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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 Those who love pleasure become poor;
    those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.

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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 Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin,
    for their hands refuse to work.

26 Some people are always greedy for more,
    but the godly love to give!

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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 any truly competent workers?
    They will serve kings
    rather than working for ordinary people.

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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 Do your planning and prepare your fields
    before building 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 walked by the field of a lazy person,
    the vineyard of one with no common sense.
31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.
    It was covered with weeds,
    and its walls were broken down.
32 Then, as I looked and thought about it,
    I learned this lesson:
33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
    scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

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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 As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,
    so the lazy person turns over in bed.

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

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18 As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit,
    so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded.

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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 the state of your flocks,
    and put your heart into caring for your herds,
24 for riches don’t last forever,
    and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.
25 After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears
    and the mountain grasses are gathered in,
26 your sheep will provide wool for clothing,
    and your goats will provide the price of a field.
27 And you will have enough goats’ milk for yourself,
    your family, and your servant girls.

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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 A hard worker has plenty of food,
    but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.

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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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