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

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15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.(A)

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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 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(A)

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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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Sluggards(A) do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.(B)

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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 will grow poor;(A)
    stay awake and you will have food to spare.

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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 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
    whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(A)

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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 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,(A)
    because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
    but the righteous(B) give without sparing.(C)

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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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Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilled(A) in their work?
    They will serve(B) before kings;(C)
    they will not serve before officials of low rank.

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27 Prepare your work outside;
    get everything ready for you in the field;
    and after that build your house.

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27 Put your outdoor work in order
    and get your fields ready;
    after that, build your house.

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30 I passed by the field of one who was lazy,
    by the vineyard of a stupid person,(A)
31 and see, it was all overgrown with thorns;
    the ground was covered with nettles,
    and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it;
    I looked and received instruction.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,(B)
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want, like an armed warrior.

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30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(A)
    past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(B)
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.(C)

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14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so does a lazy person in bed.

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14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.(A)

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18 Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and anyone who takes care of a master will be honored.(A)

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18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,(A)
    and whoever protects their master will be honored.(B)

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23 Know well the condition of your flocks,
    and give attention to your herds,
24 for riches do not last forever,
    nor a crown for all generations.(A)
25 When the grass is gone, and new growth appears,
    and the herbage of the mountains is gathered,(B)
26 the lambs will provide your clothing,
    and the goats the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
    for the food of your household
    and nourishment for your female servants.

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23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,(A)
    give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,(B)
    and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
    and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
    and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
    and to nourish your female servants.

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19 Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread,
    but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.(A)

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19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.(A)

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