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

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The plans of the diligent[a] lead[b] only to plenty,[c]
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:5 tn The word “diligent” is an adjective used substantivally. The related verb means “to cut, sharpen, decide”; so the adjective describes one who is “sharp”—one who acts decisively. The word “hasty” has the idea of being pressed or pressured into quick actions. So the text contrasts calculated expeditiousness with unproductive haste. C. H. Toy does not like this contrast, and so proposes changing the latter to “lazy” (Proverbs [ICC], 399), but W. McKane rightly criticizes that as unnecessarily forming a pedestrian antithesis (Proverbs [OTL], 550).
  2. Proverbs 21:5 tn The term “lead” is supplied in the translation.
  3. Proverbs 21:5 tn The Hebrew noun translated “plenty” comes from the verb יָתַר (yatar), which means “to remain over.” So the calculated diligence will lead to abundance, prosperity.
  4. Proverbs 21:5 tn Heb “lack; need; thing needed”; NRSV “to want.”