Laziness

Go to the ant,(A) you slacker!(B)
Observe its ways and become wise.
Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.(C)
How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
11 and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.(D)

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The Folly of Laziness

Go to the ant, you lazy man!
    Observe its ways and become wise.
It has no commander,
    officer, or ruler,
but prepares its provisions in the summer
    and gathers its food in the harvest.
How long will you lie down, lazy man?
    When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and your poverty will come on you like a bandit
    and your desperation like an armed man.

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Idle hands make one poor,
but diligent hands bring riches.(A)

The son who gathers during summer is prudent;
the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.(B)

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Lazy hands bring poverty,
    but hard-working hands lead to wealth.
Whoever harvests during summer acts wisely,
    but the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.

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26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,(A)
so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.

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26 As vinegar is to the mouth[a] and smoke to the eyes,
    so is the lazy person to those who send him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:26 Lit. teeth

11 The one who works his land will have plenty of food,(A)
but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.(B)

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11 Whoever tills his soil will have a lot to eat,
    but anyone who pursues fantasies lacks sense.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. heart

24 The diligent hand will rule,
but laziness will lead to forced labor.(A)

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24 The diligent will take control,
    but the lazy will be put to forced labor.

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27 A lazy hunter doesn’t roast his game,(A)
but to a diligent person, his wealth is precious.(B)

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27 The lazy person does not roast what he has hunted,
    but diligence is one’s most important possession.

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The slacker craves, yet has nothing,
but the diligent is fully satisfied.(A)

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The lazy person craves, yet receives nothing,
    but the desires of the diligent are satisfied.

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Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty,[a]
but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of an ox.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:4 Or clean

Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is clean,
    but profits come through the strength of the ox.

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23 There is profit in all hard work,
but endless talk[a] leads only to poverty.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 14:23 Lit but word of lips

23 In hard work there is always profit,
    but too much chattering[a] leads to poverty.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:23 Lit. word of lips

19 A slacker’s way is like a thorny hedge,
but the path of the upright is a highway.(A)

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19 The lifestyle of the lazy is like a thorny hedge,
    but the path taken by the upright is an open highway.

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26 A worker’s appetite works for him
because his hunger[a] urges him on.

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Footnotes

  1. 16:26 Lit mouth

26 The appetite of the laborer motivates him;
    indeed, his hunger drives him on.

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The one who is lazy in his work
is brother to a vandal.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 18:9 Lit master of destruction

Avoiding Fools and Their Foolishness

Whoever is lazy regarding his work
    is also a brother to the master of destruction.

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