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A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully,
    and in the midst of brothers he will share his inheritance.

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A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.

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Even he who is slack in his work,
    he is brother to a master[a] of destruction.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:9 Or “owner”

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:9 Lit master of destruction

15 Laziness will bring on a deep sleep,
    and a person[a] of idleness will suffer hunger.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:15 Or “soul,” or “life”

15 Laziness induces deep sleep,
and a lazy person will go hungry.(A)

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24 A lazy person buries his hand in the dish,
    and even to his mouth he will not bring it back.

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24 The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth.(A)

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The lazy person will not plow in season;
    he will expect at the harvest, but there will be nothing.

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The slacker does not plow during planting season;[a]
at harvest time he looks,[b] and there is nothing.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:4 Lit plow in winter
  2. Proverbs 20:4 Lit inquires

13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor;
    open your eyes and have plenty bread.

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13 Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;
open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.(A)

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The plans of the diligent only lead to abundance,
    but all who are hasty, only to want.

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The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.(A)

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17 A man of want is he who loves pleasure;
    he who loves wine and oil[a] will not become rich.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:17 Or “fat”

17 The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.(A)

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25 The craving of a lazy person will kill him,
    for his hands refuse to work.[a]
26 All day[b] he craves a craving,
    but the righteous will give and not hold back.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:25 Or “make”
  2. Proverbs 21:26 Literally “All the day”

25 A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.(A)
26 He is filled with craving[a] all day long,
but the righteous give and don’t hold back.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:26 Lit He craves a craving

13 A lazy person says “A lion in the street!
    In the middle of the highway, I shall be killed!”

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13 The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!”(A)

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29 A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see:
    before kings, he will serve;
    he will not serve before the commoners.

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29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of unknown men.(A)

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10 If you faint on the day of adversity,
    little is your strength.

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10 If you do nothing in a difficult time,
your strength is limited.

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