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

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15 (A)Laziness casts into a deep sleep,
And a slack-handed soul will suffer hunger.

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

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24 The (A)sluggard buries his hand (B)in the dish,
But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

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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 (A)sluggard does not plow from winter on,
So he [a]begs during the harvest and has nothing.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:4 Lit asks

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 (A)Do not love sleep, lest you become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with [a]food.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:13 Lit bread

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

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17 He who (A)loves [a]pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:17 Lit gladness

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 (A)desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
26 All day long he [a]is insatiably craving,
While the righteous (B)gives and does not hold back.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:26 Lit desires desire

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

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29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will (A)stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.

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27 Do your planning and prepare your fields
    before building your house.

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27 Establish your work outside
And (A)make it ready for yourself in the field;
And afterwards, you shall build your house.

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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 the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man (A)lacking a heart of wisdom,
31 And behold, it was completely [a](B)overgrown with thistles;
[b](C)Nettles have covered its surface,
And its stone (D)wall has been torn down.
32 And I beheld, I set my heart upon it;
I saw, I received discipline.
33 (E)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come as [c]a robber
And your want like [d]an armed man.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:31 Lit gone up
  2. Proverbs 24:31 A kind of weed
  3. Proverbs 24:34 Or a vagabond; lit one who walks
  4. Proverbs 24:34 Lit a man with a shield

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

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14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the (A)sluggard 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 guards the (A)fig tree will eat its fruit,
And he who (B)keeps watch for his master will be honored.

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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 (A)Know well the [a]condition of your flocks,
And pay attention to your herds;
24 For wealth is not forever,
Neither is a (B)crown from generation to generation.
25 When the grass disappears and the vegetation appears,
And the herbs of the mountains are (C)gathered in,
26 The lambs will be for your clothing,
And the goats will bring the price of a field,
27 And there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your maidens.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:23 Lit face

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

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19 (A)He who cultivates his ground will be (B)satisfied with food,
But he who pursues empty things will be satisfied with poverty.

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