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15 Laziness brings on deep sleep;
    an idle person will suffer hunger.(A)

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

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24 The lazy person buries a hand in the dish
    and will not even bring it back to the 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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The lazy person does not plow in season;
    harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.(A)

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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, or else you will come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.(A)

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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 suffer want;
    whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.

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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 the lazy person is fatal,
    for lazy hands refuse to labor.(A)
26 All day long the wicked covet,[a]
    but the righteous give and do not hold back.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.26 Gk: Heb all day long one covets covetously

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

29 Do you see those who are skillful in their work?
    They will serve kings;
    they will not serve common people.(A)

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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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27 Prepare your work outside;
    get everything ready for you in the field;
    and 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 passed by the field of one who was lazy,
    by the vineyard of a stupid person,(A)
31 and see, it was all overgrown with thorns;
    the ground was covered with nettles,
    and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it;
    I looked and received instruction.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,(B)
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want, like an armed warrior.

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30 I went by the field of a slacker
and by the vineyard of a man 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,
your need, like a bandit.(B)

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14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so does a lazy person in bed.

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

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18 Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
    and anyone who takes care of a master will be honored.(A)

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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 Know well the condition of your flocks,
    and give attention to your herds,
24 for riches do not last forever,
    nor a crown for all generations.(A)
25 When the grass is gone, and new growth appears,
    and the herbage of the mountains is gathered,(B)
26 the lambs will provide your clothing,
    and the goats the price of a field;
27 there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
    for the food of your household
    and nourishment for 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 Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread,
    but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty 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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