The soulof the sluggardcravesand [gets] nothing,But the soulof the diligentis madefat.
Now it cameabout on the sameday,that Isaac'sservantscamein and toldhim aboutthe wellwhichthey had dug,and saidto him, "We have foundwater."
They will stillyieldfruitin oldage;They shall be fullof sapand verygreen,
Pooris he who workswith a negligenthand,But the handof the diligentmakesrich.
The generousmanwill be prosperous,And he who waterswill himselfbe watered.
He who tillshis landwill haveplentyof bread,But he who pursuesworthless[things] lackssense.
The handof the diligentwill rule,But the slack[hand] will be put to forcedlabor.
A lazymandoes not roasthis prey,But the preciouspossessionof a man[is] diligence.
The one who guardshis mouthpreserveshis life;The one who openswidehis lipscomes to ruin.
A righteousmanhatesfalsehood,But a wickedmanactsdisgustinglyand shamefully.
The sluggarddoes not plowafterthe autumn,So he begsduring the harvestand hasnothing.
The desireof the sluggardputshim to death,For his handsrefuseto work;
The plansof the diligent[lead] surelyto advantage,But everyonewho is hasty[comes] surelyto poverty.
I passedby the fieldof the sluggardAnd by the vineyardof the manlackingsense,
And behold,it was completelyovergrownwith thistles;Its surfacewas coveredwith nettles,And its stonewallwas brokendown.
The sluggardsays,"There is a lionin the road!A lionis in the opensquare!"
An arrogantman stirsup strife,But he who trustsin the LORDwill prosper.
Goto the ant,O sluggard,Observeher waysand be wise,
"Blessedis the manwho listensto me, Watchingdailyat my gates,Waitingat my doorposts.
"I have takenoffmy dress,Howcan I putit on [again]? I have washedmy feet,Howcan I dirtythem [again]?
"And the LORDwill continuallyguideyou, And satisfyyour desirein scorchedplaces,And givestrengthto your bones;And you will be like a wateredgarden,And like a springof waterwhosewatersdo not fail.
"Whocan countthe dustof Jacob,Or numberthe fourthpartof Israel?Let me diethe deathof the upright,And let my endbe likehis!"
"Do not workfor the foodwhich perishes,but for the foodwhich enduresto eternallife,whichthe Sonof Manwill giveto you, for on Him the Father,God,has set His seal."
And we desirethat each oneof you showthe samediligencesoas to realize the full assuranceof hopeuntilthe end,
They returnedto Joshuaand saidto him, "Do not let allthe peoplegoup; [only] about two orthreethousandmenneed goup to Ai;do not make allthe peopletoilup there,for they are few."
