Proverbs 13:4

13:4 The appetite ¹  of the sluggard ²  craves ³  but gets nothing,

but the desire of the diligent will be abundantly satisfied. ⁴ 

Proverbs 22:29

22:29 Do you see a person skilled ⁵  in his work?

He will take his position before kings;

he will not take his position ⁶  before obscure people. ⁷ 

Ecclesiastes 9:10

9:10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, ⁸ 

do it with all your might,

because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, ⁹ 

the place where you will eventually go. ¹⁰ 

Romans 12:11

12:11 Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.

Galatians 6:9

6:9 So we must not grow weary ¹¹  in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. ¹² 

[13:4]  ¹ tn The noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, traditionally “soul”) has a broad range of meanings, and here denotes “appetite” (e.g., Ps 17:9; Prov 23:3; Eccl 2:24; Isa 5:14; Hab 2:5; BDB 660 s.v. 5.c) or (2) “desire” (e.g., Deut 12:20; Prov 19:8; 21:10; BDB 660 s.v. 6.a).

[13:4]  ² sn The contrast is between the “soul (= appetite) of the sluggard” (נַפְשׁוֹ עָצֵל, nafsho ’atsel) and the “soul (= desire) of the diligent” (נֶפֶשׁ חָרֻצִים, nefesh kharutsim) – what they each long for.

[13:4]  ³ tn The Hitpael verb means “to lust after; to crave.” A related verb is used in the Decalogue’s prohibition against coveting (Exod 20:17; Deut 5:21).

[13:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “will be made fat” (cf. KJV, NASB); NRSV “is richly supplied.”

[22:29]  ⁵ sn The word translated “skilled” is general enough to apply to any crafts; but it may refer to a scribe or an official (R. N. Whybray, Proverbs [CBC], 134).

[22:29]  ⁶ tn The verb form used twice here is יִתְיַצֵּב (yityatsev), the Hitpael imperfect of יָצַב (yatsav), which means “to set or station oneself; to take one’s stand” in this stem. With the form לִפְנֵי (life) it means “to present oneself before” someone; so here it has the idea of serving as a courtier in the presence of a king.

[22:29]  ⁷ sn The fifth saying affirms that true skill earns recognition and advancement (cf. Instruction of Amenemope, chap. 30, 27:16-17 [ANET 424]).

[9:10]  ⁸ tn Heb “Whatever your hand finds to do.”

[9:10]  ⁹ tn Heb “Sheol.”

[9:10]  ¹⁰ tn Or “where you are about to go.”

[6:9]  ¹¹ tn Or “not become discouraged,” “not lose heart” (L&N 25.288).

[6:9]  ¹² tn Or “if we do not become extremely weary,” “if we do not give out,” “if we do not faint from exhaustion” (L&N 23.79).