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Wisdom Warns Against Laziness

Go to the ant, you slacker![a]
Observe its ways and become wise.
Although it has no overseer, officer, or ruler,
it stores its food in summer.
It gathers its provisions at harvest time.
How long will you lie there, you slacker?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of your hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come on you like a prowler,
and scarcity will come on you like a warrior.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:6 Or you loafer or you lazybones

Against Sloth

Go to the ant, lazy!
    Consider its ways and be wise.
It has no chief,
    officer, or ruler.
In the summer, it prepares its food;
    in the harvest, it gathers its sustenance.
How long will you lie down, lazy?
    When will you rise up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands for rest—
11 like a robber[a] shall your poverty come,
    and what you lack like an armed man.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:11 Literally “one who walks,” that is, a vagabond

Lazy hands produce poverty,
but hardworking hands bring riches.

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A slack hand causes poverty,
    but the hand of the diligent enriches.

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Whoever gathers crops in summer is a sensible[a] son.
Whoever sleeps at harvest time is a disgraceful[b] son.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:5 Or far-sighted
  2. Proverbs 10:5 Or an embarrassing

He who gathers in the summer is a child who is prudent;
    he who sleeps at the harvest is a child who brings shame.

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26 Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes,
so is a lazy person to those who send him.

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26 Like vinegar to the tooth and like smoke to the eyes,
    thus is the lazy to one who employs[a] him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:26 Or “sends”

11 A person who works his land will have enough food,
but whoever pursues fantasies lacks sense.

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11 He who works his land will have plenty of food,
    but he who follows worthless things lacks sense.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:11 Literally “heart”

24 Hardworking hands will rule,
but laziness results in forced labor.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:24 Or leads to debtor’s prison

24 The hand of the diligent ones will rule,
    but the lazy will belong to forced labor.

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27 A lazy person does not roast his game,
but a diligent person uses his wealth wisely.

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27 The lazy will not roast his game,
    but diligence is the precious wealth of a man.

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The appetite of a lazy person craves things, but he gets nothing.
The appetite of hardworking people is fully satisfied.

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The soul[a] of the lazy craves, but there is nothing,
    but the person of diligence is richly supplied.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:4 Or “life”

11 Wealth gained out of thin air[a] shrinks,
but wealth accumulated by steady work grows.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:11 Or dishonestly. A variant in the versions is too quickly.

11 Wealth gained from haste[a] will dwindle,
    but he who gathers little by little[b] will increase it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:11 Or “vanity”
  2. Proverbs 13:11 Literally “upon the hand”

Without cattle the manger is empty,
but a great harvest is gained by the strength of an ox.

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When there are no[a] oxen the manger is empty,
    but an abundance of crops comes by the strength of an ox.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:4 Literally “In there is no”
  2. Proverbs 14:4 Hebrew “bull”

19 The way of a lazy person is like a thorny hedge,
but the path of upright people is a highway.

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:19 Hebrew “thorn”

26 A laborer’s appetite labors for him,
because the hunger of his mouth drives him on.

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26 The life[a] of a worker works for him,
    for his hunger[b] urges him.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:26 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  2. Proverbs 16:26 Literally “mouth”