Go to the (A)ant, you [a](B)lazy one,
Observe its ways and be wise,
Which, having (C)no chief,
Officer, or ruler,
Prepares its food (D)in the summer
And gathers its provision in the harvest.
How long will you lie down, you [b]lazy one?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 (E)A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to [c]rest,”
11 (F)Then your poverty will come in like a [d]drifter,
And your need like [e]an armed man.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:6 Lit idle one
  2. Proverbs 6:9 Lit idle one
  3. Proverbs 6:10 Lit lie down
  4. Proverbs 6:11 Lit one who moves about
  5. Proverbs 6:11 Lit a man with a shield

The Folly of Indolence

(A)Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
Which, having no [a]captain,
Overseer or ruler,
Provides her [b]supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
(B)How long will you [c]slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 (C)So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:7 Lit. leader
  2. Proverbs 6:8 Lit. bread
  3. Proverbs 6:9 Lit. lie down

Poor is one who works with [a]a lazy hand,
But the (A)hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:4 Lit an idle hand

(A)He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But (B)the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who gathers in (C)summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is (D)a son who causes shame.

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26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the [a](A)lazy one to those who send him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:26 Lit idle one

26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy man to those who send him.

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11 One (A)who works his land will have plenty of bread,
But one who pursues worthless things lacks [a]sense.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:11 Lit heart

11 (A)He who [a]tills his land will be satisfied with (B)bread,
But he who follows [b]frivolity (C)is devoid of [c]understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:11 works or cultivates
  2. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. vain things
  3. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. heart

24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the [a]lazy hand will be (A)put to forced labor.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:24 Lit idle

24 (A)The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.

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27 [a]A lazy person does not [b]roast his prey,
But the (A)precious possession of a person is diligence.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:27 Lit An indolent
  2. Proverbs 12:27 Or catch

27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.

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The soul of the [a]lazy one craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made [b]prosperous.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:4 Lit idle
  2. Proverbs 13:4 Lit fat

(A)The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

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11 Wealth obtained from [a]nothing dwindles,
But one who gathers [b]by labor increases it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:11 Prob. referring to fraud
  2. Proverbs 13:11 Lit by hand

11 (A)Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
But he who gathers by labor will increase.

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23 In all labor there is profit,
But [a]mere talk leads only to poverty.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:23 Lit word of lips

23 In all labor there is profit,
But [a]idle chatter leads only to poverty.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:23 Lit. talk of the lips

19 The way of the [a]lazy one is like a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:19 Lit idle

19 (A)The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,
But the way of the upright is a highway.

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He also who is (A)lax in his work
(B)Is a brother to him who destroys.

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He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

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