The Folly of Indolence

(A)Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
Which, having no [a]captain,
Overseer or ruler,
Provides her [b]supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
(B)How long will you [c]slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 (C)So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 6:7 Lit. leader
  2. Proverbs 6:8 Lit. bread
  3. Proverbs 6:9 Lit. lie down

Laziness

Go to the ant,(A) you slacker!(B)
Observe its ways and become wise.
Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.(C)
How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
11 and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.(D)

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(A)He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But (B)the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who gathers in (C)summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is (D)a son who causes shame.

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Idle hands make one poor,
but diligent hands bring riches.(A)

The son who gathers during summer is prudent;
the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.(B)

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26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy man to those who send him.

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26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,(A)
so the slacker is to the one who sends him on an errand.

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11 (A)He who [a]tills his land will be satisfied with (B)bread,
But he who follows [b]frivolity (C)is devoid of [c]understanding.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:11 works or cultivates
  2. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. vain things
  3. Proverbs 12:11 Lit. heart

11 The one who works his land will have plenty of food,(A)
but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.(B)

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24 (A)The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.

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24 The diligent hand will rule,
but laziness will lead to forced labor.(A)

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27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.

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27 A lazy hunter doesn’t roast his game,(A)
but to a diligent person, his wealth is precious.(B)

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(A)The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

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The slacker craves, yet has nothing,
but the diligent is fully satisfied.(A)

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11 (A)Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
But he who gathers by labor will increase.

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11 Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle,(A)
but whoever earns it through labor[a] will multiply it.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 13:11 Lit whoever gathers upon his hand

23 In all labor there is profit,
But [a]idle chatter leads only to poverty.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:23 Lit. talk of the lips

23 There is profit in all hard work,
but endless talk[a] leads only to poverty.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 14:23 Lit but word of lips

19 (A)The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns,
But the way of the upright is a highway.

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19 A slacker’s way is like a thorny hedge,
but the path of the upright is a highway.(A)

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He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

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

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Footnotes

  1. 18:9 Lit master of destruction