24 Diligent hands will rule,

but laziness ends in forced labor.

25 Anxiety weighs down the heart,

but a kind word cheers it up.

26 The righteous choose their friends carefully,

but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27 The lazy do not roast any game,

but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.

28 In the way of righteousness there is life;

along that path is immortality.

24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule:

But the slothful shall be under tribute.

25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop:

But a good word maketh it glad.

26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour:

But the way of the wicked seduceth them.

27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting:

But the substance of a diligent man is precious.

28 In the way of righteousness is life;

And in the pathway thereof there is no death.

24 Work hard and become a leader;

be lazy and become a slave.

25 Worry weighs a person down;

an encouraging word cheers a person up.

26 The godly give good advice to their friends;

the wicked lead them astray.

27 Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch,

but the diligent make use of everything they find.

28 The way of the godly leads to life;

that path does not lead to death.

24 The hand of the diligent will rule,

But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.

25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,

But a good word makes it glad.

26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,

For the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,

But diligence is man’s precious possession.

28 In the way of righteousness is life,

And in its pathway there is no death.

24 Hard workers will become leaders,

but those who are lazy will be slaves.

25 Worry is a heavy load,

but a kind word cheers you up.

26 Good people take advice from their friends,

but an evil person is easily led to do wrong.

27 The lazy catch no food to cook,

but a hard worker will have great wealth.

28 Doing what is right is the way to life,

but there is another way that leads to death.

24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule;

But the slothful shall be put under taskwork.

25 Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop;

But a good word maketh it glad.

26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor;

But the way of the wicked causeth them to err.

27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting;

But the precious substance of men is to the diligent.

28 In the way of righteousness is life;

And in the pathway thereof there is no death.

24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; but the slothful hand shall be under tribute.

25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop; but a good word maketh it glad.

26 The righteous guideth his neighbour; but the way of the wicked misleadeth them.

27 The slothful roasteth not what he took in hunting; but man’s precious substance is to the diligent.

28 In the path of righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

24 Hard-working hands gain control, 

but lazy hands do slave labor. 

25 A person’s anxiety will weigh him down, 

but an encouraging word makes him joyful. 

26 A righteous person looks out for his neighbor, 

but the path of wicked people leads others astray. 

27 A lazy hunter does not catchhis prey, 

but a hard-working person becomes wealthy. 

28 Everlasting life is on the way of righteousness. 

Eternal death is not along its path. 

24 The diligent hand will rule,

but laziness will lead to forced labor.

25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,

but a good word cheers it up.

26 A righteous man is careful in dealing with his neighbor,

but the ways of the wicked lead them astray.

27 A lazy man doesn’t roast his game,

but to a diligent man, his wealth is precious.

28 There is life in the path of righteousness,

but another path leads to death.

24 The hand of the diligent will rule,

while the lazy will be put to forced labor.

25 Anxiety weighs down the human heart,

but a good word cheers it up.

26 The righteous gives good advice to friends,

but the way of the wicked leads astray.

27 The lazy do not roast their game,

but the diligent obtain precious wealth.

28 In the path of righteousness there is life,

in walking its path there is no death.

24 The hand of the diligent ones will rule,

but the lazy will belong to forced labor.

25 Anxiety in the heart of a man will weigh him down,

but a good word will cheer him.

26 A righteous person will seek out his neighbor,

but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.

27 The lazy will not roast his game,

but diligence is the precious wealth of a man.

28 On the road of righteousness is life,

and on the way of the path, may there be no death.

24 Hands that work hard will rule.

But people who don’t want to work will become slaves.

25 Worry makes a man’s heart heavy.

But a kind word cheers him up.

26 Godly people are careful about the friends they choose.

But the way of sinners leads them down the wrong path.

27 Anyone who refuses to work doesn’t even cook what he catches.

But a man who works hard values what he has.

28 There is life in doing what is right.

Along that path you will never die.

24 The hand of the diligent will rule,

But the slack hand will be put to forced labor.

25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,

But a good word makes it glad.

26 The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,

But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

27 A lazy man does not roast his prey,

But the precious possession of a man is diligence.

28 In the way of righteousness is life,

And in its pathway there is no death.