The plans of the diligent ¹  lead ²  only to plenty, ³  but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. ⁴ 

biblegateway Pro 21:5

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless only becomes poor.

The plans of a hard–working person lead to prosperity, but everyone who is always in a hurry ends up in poverty.

biblegateway Pro 21:5

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

bibleoremus Pro 21:5

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.

Forethought and diligence lead to profit as surely as rash haste leads to poverty.

biblegateway Pro 21:5

The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness; but of every one [that is] hasty only to want.

biblegateway Pro 21:5

The plans of the diligent ¹  lead ²  only to plenty, ³  but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. ⁴ 

¹ tn The word “diligent” is an adjective used substantivally. The related verb means “to cut, sharpen, decide”; so the adjective describes one who is “sharp” – one who acts decisively. The word “hasty” has the idea of being pressed or pressured into quick actions. So the text contrasts calculated expeditiousness with unproductive haste. C. H. Toy does not like this contrast, and so proposes changing the latter to “lazy” (Proverbs [ICC], 399), but W. McKane rightly criticizes that as unnecessarily forming a pedestrian antithesis (Proverbs [OTL], 550).

² tn The term “lead” is supplied in the translation.

³ tn The Hebrew noun translated “plenty” comes from the verb יָתַר (yatar), which means “to remain over.” So the calculated diligence will lead to abundance, prosperity.

⁴ tn Heb “lack; need; thing needed”; NRSV “to want.”