But the men that went up together with him said, We shall not go up! For we shall by no means be able to go up against the nation, for it is much stronger than we.

Then the tax collector of King Artaxerxes read [the letter] before Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and his fellow servants. And they went in haste to Jerusalem and through Judah, and caused them to cease with horses and an [armed] force.

Thus the work of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

And Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the [son] of Iddo, prophesied a prophesy to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, [even] to them.

Then Zerubbabel the [son] of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jehozadak rose up, and began to build the house of God that was in Jerusalem, and with them [were] the prophets of God assisting them.

And Judah said, The strength of the enemies is broken, yet [there is] much rubbish, and we shall not be able to build the wall.

The sluggard makes excuses, and says, [There is] a lion in the road, and murderers in the streets.

A sluggard when sent on a journey says, [There is] a lion in the road, and [there are] murderers in the streets.

A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.

[Those] fearing and reverencing men [unreasonably] have been overthrown, but he that trusts in the Lord shall rejoice. Ungodliness causes a man to stumble, but he that trusts in his master shall be safe.

Whatsoever your hand shall find to do, do with all your might; for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in Hades, where you are going.

He that observes the wind sows not; and he that looks at the clouds will not reap.

I sleep, but my heart is awake: the voice of my kinsman knocks at the door, [saying], Open, open to me, my companion, my sister, my dove, my perfect one: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.

I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?