15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
    and the shiftless go hungry.(A)

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

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24 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he will not even bring it back to his mouth!(A)

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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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Sluggards(A) do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.(B)

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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

13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;(A)
    stay awake and you will have food to spare.

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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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17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
    whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(A)

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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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25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,(A)
    because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
    but the righteous(B) give without sparing.(C)

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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

Saying 6

29 Do you see someone skilled(A) in their work?
    They will serve(B) before kings;(C)
    they will not serve before officials of low rank.

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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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27 Put your outdoor work in order
    and get your fields ready;
    after that, build your house.

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

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30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(A)
    past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(B)
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.(C)

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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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14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.(A)

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

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18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,(A)
    and whoever protects their master will be honored.(B)

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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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23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,(A)
    give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,(B)
    and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
    and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
    and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
    and to nourish your female servants.

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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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19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.(A)

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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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