22:13

This verse gives the lazy person’s ridiculous excuse for not going to work.

13a The slacker says, “There is a lion outside !

13b I will be slain in the streets !”

22:13a–b

There is a textual issue here:

(1) The Masoretic Text has one excuse. The lazy person is afraid of being killed by a lion outside in the streets. For example:

13a The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside! 13b I shall be killed in the streets!” (New Revised Standard Version)

(2) The LXX has two excuses. The lazy person is either afraid of a lion or he is afraid of murderers outside in the streets. For example:

13a The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!” 13b or, “I will be murdered in the streets!” (New International Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions and scholars.

The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”: The parallel terms outside and in the streets refer to the same location. The lazy person says that he is afraid to go outside into the streets lest he be slain there by a lion. In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder or combine these terms. For example:

The lazy man says, “There’s a lion in the street; I shall be killed if I step outside.” (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!” (New Living Translation (2004))

It is implied that the words of the lazy person are simply an excuse for not wanting to work. In some languages, it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

Don’t be so lazy that you say, “If I go to work, a lion will eat me!” (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Lazy people stay at home; they say a lion might get them if they go outside. (Good News Translation)

Notice that the Good News Translation has used an indirect quote instead of a direct quote. Use whichever is more natural in your language.

Notice also that the Contemporary English Version has left the phrases outside and in the streets implied. This may be a good option in some languages.

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