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,(D)
11 and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.(E)

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

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

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

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

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

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Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty,[a]
but an abundant harvest comes
through the strength of an ox.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:4 Or clean

When there are no oxen, the stall is clean,
    but when there is a strong bull, there is abundant produce.

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:23 Lit but word of lips

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

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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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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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26 A worker’s appetite works for him
because his hunger[a] urges him on.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:26 Lit mouth

26 The appetite of workers labors for them,
    for their hunger presses them on.

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:9 Lit master of destruction

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

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