Proverbs 6:6-11
The Voice
6 Take a lesson from the ant, you who love leisure and ease.
Observe how it works, and dare to be just as wise.
7 It has no boss,
no one laying down the law or telling it what to do,
8 Yet it gathers its food through summer
and takes what it needs from the harvest.
9 How long do you plan to lounge your life away, you lazy fool?
Will you ever get out of bed?
10 You say, “A little sleep, a little rest,
a few more minutes, a nice little nap.”
11 But soon poverty will be on top of you like a robber;
need will assault you like a well-armed warrior.
Proverbs 10:4-5
The Voice
4 A slack hand produces nothing but poverty,
but an industrious hand soon takes hold of riches.
5 A wise son stores up for the winter months while it is still summer,
but a shameful son lies around even during the harvest.
Proverbs 10:26
The Voice
26 As vinegar vexes the teeth, and as smoke irritates the eyes,
so a slacker annoys his boss.
Proverbs 12:11
The Voice
A person in a positive relationship with God stands in a right relationship with His creation. How we treat animals may mirror our souls—not just the pets in our home, but the pets in our neighborhood and the animals in our food supply. One who is truly right with God considers the needs of His creatures.
11 Whoever works the land will have more than enough food,
but whoever follows empty pursuits lacks sense.
Proverbs 12:24
The Voice
24 The hand of the hard workers will one day rule,
and slackers will be forced to labor.
Proverbs 12:27
The Voice
27 Slackers don’t take time to cook their food,[a]
but hard workers prize everything they have.
Footnotes
- 12:27 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Proverbs 13:4
The Voice
4 Slackers crave but have their fill of nothing,
but the hardworking desire and are completely satisfied.
Proverbs 13:11
The Voice
11 Money earned hastily is easily lost,
but hard-earned money continues to grow.
Proverbs 14:23
The Voice
23 Prosperity comes from hard work,
but talking too much leads to great scarcity.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
