Proverbs 30
1 These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.
The words of the Gatherer, the son of the Vomiter. The vision that the man spoke. God is with him, and he, being strengthened by God and abiding with him, said:
2 Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
“I am the most foolish among men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son— surely you know!
Who has ascended to heaven and also descended? Who has grasped the wind in his hands? Who has tied the waters together, as with a garment? Who has raised all the limits of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son, if you know?
5 Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Every word of God is fire-tested. He is a bronze shield to those who hope in him.
6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Do not add anything to his words, lest you be reproved and be discovered to be a liar.
7 Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:
Two things I have asked of you; do not deny them to me before I die.
8 Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words. Give me neither begging, nor wealth. Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.
lest perhaps, being filled, I might be enticed into denial, and say: ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or, being compelled by destitution, I might steal, and then perjure myself in the name of my God.
10 Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
Do not accuse a servant to his lord, lest he curse you, and you fall.
11 There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
There is a generation which curses their father, and which does not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
There is a generation which seems pure to themselves, and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated, and their eyelids are lifted on high.
14 there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
There is a generation which has swords in place of teeth, and which commands their molars to devour the indigent from the earth and the poor from among men.
15 The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
The leech has two daughters, who say, ‘Bring, bring.’ Three things are insatiable, and a fourth never says ‘Enough’:
16 Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and a land that is not filled with water. And truly, fire never says, ‘Enough.’ (Sheol h7585)
17 As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
The eye of one who mocks his father and who despises the childbearing of his mother, let the ravens of the torrent tear it out, and let the sons of the eagles consume it.
18 There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
Three things are difficult for me, and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
the way of an eagle in the sky, 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 in adolescence.
20 This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, who eats, and wiping her mouth, says: “I have done no evil.”
21 Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
By three things, the earth is moved, and a fourth it is not able to sustain:
22 a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
by a slave when he reigns, by the foolish when he has been filled with food,
23 an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
by a hateful woman when she has been taken in matrimony, and by a handmaid when she has been heir to her mistress.
24 Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
the ants, an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,
26 the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
the rabbit, a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.
27 the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
The locust has no king, but they all depart by their troops.
28 and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
The lizard supports itself on hands and dwells in the buildings of kings.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
There are three things that advance well, and a fourth that marches happily on:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,
31 a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
a rooster prepared at the loins, likewise a ram, and a king, whom none can resist.
32 If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
There is one who has appeared foolish, after he was lifted up on high; for if he had understood, he would have placed his hand over his mouth.
33 For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
But whoever strongly squeezes the udder to bring out the milk, presses out butter. And whoever violently blows his nose, brings out blood. And whoever provokes wrath, brings forth discord.”
