13:11

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

11a
Dishonest wealth will dwindle,

11b but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.

This proverb contrasts wealth that a person gets quickly, dishonestly, or easily with wealth that a person earns gradually.

13:11a–b

Notice that in the Hebrew, the subjects of 13:11a and 13:11b are not quite parallel. Line 11a is talking about wealth, while line 11b is talking about the person who earns wealth. If this is awkward in your language, you may adjust the parallelism, as the Berean Standard Bible and a number of other English translations have done. For example:

Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
A person who cheats to get rich will soon be poor again, but a person who works hard for his money will grow richer and richer.

13:11a

Dishonest wealth: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as Dishonest refers figuratively to something that lacks substance or is temporary. In contrast to wealth that is earned “through hard work” (13:11b), it implies wealth that is gained in one or more of three ways:

(1) The wealth is gained quickly or hastily. For example:

Wealth gained hastily (English Standard Version)
-or-
A sudden fortune (New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) The wealth is gained dishonestly or unjustly. For example:

Wealth gained through injustice (God’s Word)

(3) The wealth is gained easily. For example:

Money that comes easily (New Century Version)

It is recommended that you choose a word or expression that will imply as many as possible of the above three meanings. If you need to choose one meaning, interpretation (1) is recommended. It forms a good contrast with 13:11b.

will dwindle: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “becomes little/less.” Most versions do not specify whether the wealth dwindles quickly or slowly. But since the wealth is gained quickly or easily, it may be implied that it dwindles in the same way. For example:

Money that comes easily disappears quickly (New Century Version)
-or-
The more easily you get your wealth, the sooner you will lose it. (Good News Translation)

13:11b

but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as through hard work is literally “by hand.” It describes the way in which money is earned. Versions understand this in two different ways:

(1) The money is earned steadily and gradually. For example:

money earned little by little will grow and grow (Contemporary English Version)

(2) The money is earned through honest and diligent work. For example:

wealth from hard work grows over time (New Living Translation (2004))

will be multiplied: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be multiplied is literally “increases ⌊it⌋ ” or “makes ⌊it⌋ many.”

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