Ecclesiastes 10:17–18

17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth

and whose princes eat at a proper time—

for strength and not for drunkenness.

18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;

because of idle hands, the house leaks.

17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,

and your princes feast at the proper time,

for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,

and through indolence the house leaks.

17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

17 Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader

and whose leaders feast at the proper time

to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.

18 Laziness leads to a sagging roof;

idleness leads to a leaky house.

17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles,

And your princes feast at the proper time—

For strength and not for drunkenness!

18 Because of laziness the building decays,

And through idleness of hands the house leaks.

17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! 18 By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! 18 By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.

17 A country is blessed when the king is from a noble family and when the high officials eat at the right time in order to get strength and not to get drunk. 

18 A roof sags because of laziness. A house leaks because of idle hands. 

17 Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles

and your princes feast at the proper time—

for strength and not for drunkenness.

18 Because of laziness the roof caves in,

and because of negligent hands the house leaks.

17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is a nobleman,

and your princes feast at the proper time—

for strength and not for drunkenness!

18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,

and through indolence the house leaks.

17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is a son of nobility

and your princes feast at the proper time—

to gain strength and not to get drunk.

18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,

and through idleness of hands the house leaks.

17 How blessed is the land whose king was born into the royal family!

How blessed if its princes eat and drink at the proper time!

How blessed if they eat and drink to become strong and not to get drunk!

18 When a man won’t work, the roof falls down.

When his hands aren’t busy, the house leaks.

17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.

18 Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.