New Living Translation
Proverbs 12:24
24Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.
Proverbs 12:24 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.
- New International Version (NIV)Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
Context of Proverbs 12:24
22The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth. 23The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness. Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave. 25Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. 26The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.
Read all of Proverbs 12Proverbs 12:24 word by word
יַד־חָרוּצִ֥ים תִּמְשׁ֑וֹל ו֝רְמִיָּ֗ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה לָמַֽס׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 12:24
- Proverbs 10:4Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich.
- Proverbs 13:4Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.
- Proverbs 17:2A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son and will share the inheritance of the master’s children.
- Proverbs 22:29Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.
- 1 Kings 11:28Jeroboam was a very capable young man, and when Solomon saw how industrious he was, he put him in charge of the labor force from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph.
- 1 Kings 12:20When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboam’s return from Egypt, they called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David.
- Proverbs 12:27Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find.
- Proverbs 19:15Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry.
- Proverbs 21:25Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.
- Proverbs 22:13The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!”
- Proverbs 24:30I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.
- Proverbs 26:13The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
Commentaries on Proverbs 12:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24The hand of the diligent shall bear rule - And why? because by his own industry he is independent; and every such person is respected wherever found.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24Verse 24 Those who will not take pains in an honest calling, living by tricks and dishonesty, are paltry and beggarly.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. slothful--(Compare Margin), so called because he fails to meet his promises. under tribute--not denoting legal taxes, but the obligation of dependence.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 12:24
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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