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

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15 Laziness puts one to sleep,
    and an idle person will go hungry.

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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 lazy person buries his hand in his dish
    and doesn’t bother to bring it back to his mouth.

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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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A lazy person doesn’t plow in the proper[a] season;
    he looks for a harvest, but there is nothing.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:4 The Heb. lacks proper

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 Do not love sleep or you’ll become poor,
    keep your eyes open and you’ll have plenty of food.

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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 Pleasure lovers become poor;
    loving wine and oil doesn’t bring riches.

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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 What the lazy person craves will kill him,
    because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he continues to crave,
    while the righteous person gives without holding back.

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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 man skilled in his work?
    He will work for kings, not unimportant people.

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27 Prepare your work outside,
    and get your fields ready.
    Afterwards, build your house.

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27 First do your outside work,
    preparing your land for yourself.
        After that, build your house.

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30 I went by the field of the sluggard,
    by the vineyard of the man void of understanding:
31 Behold, it was all grown over with thorns.
    Its surface was covered with nettles,
    and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw, and considered well.
    I saw, and received instruction:
33 a little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to sleep,
34 so your poverty will come as a robber
    and your want as an armed man.

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30 I went by the field belonging to a lazy man,
    by a vineyard belonging to a senseless person.
31 There it was, overgrown with thistles,
    the ground covered with thorns,
        its stone wall collapsed.
32 As I observed, I thought about it;
    I watched, and learned a lesson:
33 “A little sleep! A little slumber!
    A little folding of my hands to rest!”
34 Then your poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    your need like an armed bandit.

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14 As the door turns on its hinges,
    so does the sluggard on his bed.

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14 The door turns on its hinges—
    as does the lazy person on his bed.

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18 Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit.
    He who looks after his master shall be honored.

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18 Whoever nurtures the fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and whoever obeys[a] his master will be honored.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:18 Lit. guards

23 Know well the state of your flocks,
    and pay attention to your herds:
24 for riches are not forever,
    nor does the crown endure to all generations.
25 The hay is removed, and the new growth appears,
    the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 The lambs are for your clothing,
    and the goats are the price of a field.
27 There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food,
    for your family’s food,
    and for the nourishment of your servant girls.

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23 Keep well informed of the condition of your flocks
    and pay attention to your herds,
24 because riches don’t endure forever,
    and crowns don’t last from one generation to the next.
25 When the grass disappears,
    and new growth appears,
        the mountain spices will be harvested,
26 the lambs will supply your clothing,
    and your goats the price of a field.
27 You will have enough goat’s milk to drink
    and to supply your household needs,
        as well as sustenance for your servant girls.

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19 One who works his land will have an abundance of food;
    but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

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19 Whoever works his farmland will have abundant food,
    but whoever chases fantasies will become very poor.

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