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

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

(A)He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But (B)the hand of the diligent makes rich.

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

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He who gathers in (A)summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is (B)a son who causes shame.

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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 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy man 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)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

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

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

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

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

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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”

Where no oxen are, the [a]trough is clean;
But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:4 manger or feed trough

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 (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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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 The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives (A)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”