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Go to the ant, you sluggard.
    Consider her ways, and be wise;
which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
    provides her bread in the summer,
    and gathers her food in the harvest.
How long will you sleep, sluggard?
    When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 so your poverty will come as a robber,
    and your scarcity as an armed man.

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Go to the ant, you lazy person;
    observe its ways and grow wise.
The ant has no commander, officer, or ruler.
    Even so, it gets its food in summer;
    gathers its provisions at harvest.
How long, lazy person, will you lie down?
    When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the arms to lie down—
11     and poverty will come on you like a prowler,
        destitution like a warrior.

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He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,
    but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.
He who gathers in summer is a wise son,
    but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

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Laziness brings poverty;
    hard work makes one rich.
A wise son harvests in the summer;
    a disgraceful son sleeps right through the harvest.

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26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,
    so is the sluggard to those who send him.

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26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
    so are lazy people to those who authorize them.

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11 He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread,
    but he who chases fantasies is void of understanding.

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11 Those who work their land will have plenty to eat,
    but those who engage in empty pursuits have no sense.

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24 The hands of the diligent ones shall rule,
    but laziness ends in slave labor.

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24 A hard worker is in charge,
    while a lazy one will be sentenced to hard labor.

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27 The slothful man doesn’t roast his game,
    but the possessions of diligent men are prized.

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27 The lazy don’t roast[a] their prey,
    but hard workers receive precious riches.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:27 Heb uncertain

The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing,
    but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

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The lazy have strong desires but receive nothing;
    the appetite of the diligent is satisfied.

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11 Wealth gained dishonestly dwindles away,
    but he who gathers by hand makes it grow.

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11 Riches gotten quickly[a] will dwindle,
    but those who acquire them gradually become wealthy.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:11 LXX; MT from meaninglessness

23 In all hard work there is profit,
    but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.

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23 There is profit in hard work,
    but mere talk leads to poverty.

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19 The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch,
    but the path of the upright is a highway.

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19 The path of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns,
    but the way of those who do right is a clear road.

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One who is slack in his work
    is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

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Those who are lazy in their work
    are brothers to thugs.

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