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

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15 Laziness puts one to sleep,
    and an idle person will go hungry.

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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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24 The lazy person buries his hand in his dish
    and doesn’t bother to bring it back to his mouth.

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

A lazy person doesn’t plow in the proper[a] season;
    he looks for a harvest, but there is nothing.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:4 The Heb. lacks proper

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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13 Do not love sleep or you’ll become poor,
    keep your eyes open and you’ll have plenty of food.

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

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17 Pleasure lovers become poor;
    loving wine and oil doesn’t bring riches.

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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. 21:26 Lit He craves a craving

25 What the lazy person craves will kill him,
    because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he continues to crave,
    while the righteous person gives without holding back.

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

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29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
    He will work for kings, not unimportant people.

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27 Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field;(A)
afterward, build your house.

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27 First do your outside work,
    preparing your land for yourself.
        After that, build your house.

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30 I went by the field of a slacker
and by the vineyard of one lacking sense.
31 Thistles had come up everywhere,
weeds covered the ground,(A)
and the stone wall was ruined.
32 I saw, and took it to heart;
I looked, and received instruction:
33 a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
34 and your poverty will come like a robber,
and your need, like a bandit.(B)

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30 I went by the field belonging to a lazy man,
    by a vineyard belonging to a senseless person.
31 There it was, overgrown with thistles,
    the ground covered with thorns,
        its stone wall collapsed.
32 As I observed, I thought about it;
    I watched, and learned a lesson:
33 “A little sleep! A little slumber!
    A little folding of my hands to rest!”
34 Then your poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    your need like an armed bandit.

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14 A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.(A)

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14 The door turns on its hinges—
    as does the lazy person on his bed.

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18 Whoever tends a fig tree(A) will eat its fruit,(B)
and whoever looks after his master will be honored.

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18 Whoever nurtures the fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and whoever obeys[a] his master will be honored.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:18 Lit. guards

23 Know well the condition of your flock,(A)
and pay attention to your herds,
24 for wealth is not forever;(B)
not even a crown lasts for all time.
25 When hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grain from the hills is gathered in,
26 lambs will provide your clothing,
and goats, the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goat’s milk for your food—
food for your household
and nourishment for your female servants.(C)

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23 Keep well informed of the condition of your flocks
    and pay attention to your herds,
24 because riches don’t endure forever,
    and crowns don’t last from one generation to the next.
25 When the grass disappears,
    and new growth appears,
        the mountain spices will be harvested,
26 the lambs will supply your clothing,
    and your goats the price of a field.
27 You will have enough goat’s milk to drink
    and to supply your household needs,
        as well as sustenance for your servant girls.

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19 The one who works his land
will have plenty of food,(A)
but whoever chases fantasies
will have his fill of poverty.(B)

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19 Whoever works his farmland will have abundant food,
    but whoever chases fantasies will become very poor.

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