Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, even his prophecy; the inspired utterance of the man to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal.
2 “Surely I am the most ignorant man, and do not have a man’s understanding.
Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most Holy.
4 Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?
Who hath gone up into heaven and come down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound up the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what his son's name, if thou knowest?
5 “Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Every word of God is pure; A shield is he to them that put their trust in him.
6 Do not you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 “Two things I have asked of you. Do not deny me before I die.
Two things do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from me, before I die!
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food which is needful for me;
9 lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Lest I be full, and deny thee, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor, and steal, And violate the name of my God.
10 “Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
11 There is a generation that curses their father, and does not bless their mother.
There is a class of men that curse their fathers, And do not bless their mothers.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
There is a class who are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a class, —O how lofty are their eyes, And how are their eyelids lifted up!
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.
There is a class, whose teeth are swords, And their jaw-teeth knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.
15 “The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that do not say, ‘Enough!’:
The vampire hath two daughters; “Give! give!” [[is their cry.]] There are three things which are never satisfied; Yea, four which say not, “Enough!”
16 Sheol (Sheol h7585), the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that does not say, 'Enough!'
The underworld, and the barren womb; The earth, which is not satiated with water, And fire, which never saith, “It is enough!” (Sheol h7585)
17 “The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.
The eye that mocketh at a father, And scorneth to obey a mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.
18 “There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I do not understand:
These three things are too wonderful for me; Yea, there are four which I understand not:
19 The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
The track of an eagle in the air, The track of a serpent upon a rock, The track of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the track of a man with a maid.
20 “So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
Such is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 “For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it cannot bear up:
Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22 For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
23 for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
24 “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
There are four things which are small upon the earth, Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom.
25 The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
26 The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
The conies are a feeble people, Yet do they make their houses in the rocks.
27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
The locusts have no king, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
28 You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29 “There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and does not turn away for any;
The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31 the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
32 “If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on thy mouth!
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”
For, as the pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese, And as the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood, So the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
