Proverbs 20:4

⁴He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

¹⁵Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger.

⁴The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

³Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, ⁴but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. ⁶But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’ ⁷Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.^8[+] The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

²⁴“He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter. ²⁵I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’

²⁶“But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter. ²⁷You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest. ²⁸Take away therefore the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

⁵Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; ⁶and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, perseverance; and in perseverance, godliness; ⁷and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. ⁸For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. ¹⁰Therefore, brothers,^[+] be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble. ¹¹For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

¹³The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!” ¹⁴As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed. ¹⁵The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. ¹⁶The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.

²⁴The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

¹⁰A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep— ¹¹so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.

³⁴so your poverty will come as a robber and your want as an armed man.