Add parallel Print Page Options

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.

Read full chapter

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)

Read full chapter

He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,
    but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

He who gathers in summer is a wise son,
    but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:11 Lit whoever gathers upon [his] hand

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean,
    but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:4 Or clean

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

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

26 The appetite of the laboring man labors for him;
    for his mouth urges him on.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:26 Lit mouth