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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Go to the ant, you lazybones;
    consider its ways and be wise.(A)
Without having any chief
    or officer or ruler,
it prepares its food in summer
    and gathers its sustenance in harvest.(B)
How long will you lie there, O lazybones?
    When will you rise from your sleep?(C)
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want, like an armed warrior.(D)

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

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A slack hand causes poverty,
    but the hand of the diligent makes rich.(A)

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

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A child who gathers in summer is prudent,
    but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame.(A)

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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 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so are the lazy to their employers.(A)

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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 Those who till their land will have plenty of food,
    but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.(A)

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

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24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while 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 do not roast[a] their game,
    but the diligent obtain precious wealth.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 12.27 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 12.27 Meaning of Heb uncertain

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

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The appetite of the lazy craves and gets nothing,
    while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.(A)

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11 Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle,(A)
but whoever earns it through labor[a] will multiply it.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 13:11 Lit whoever gathers upon his hand

11 Wealth hastily gotten[a] will dwindle,
    but those who gather little by little will increase it.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 13.11 Gk Vg: Heb from vanity

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, there is no grain;
    abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

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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 way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,
    but the path of the upright is a level highway.(A)

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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 workers works for them;
    their hunger urges them on.

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