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.
These are the words of Agur, son of Jakeh. An oracle. This is what the man says, God, I'm really tired, I'm worn out.
2 Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
I'm so stupid I'm not really a man; I can't even think like a human being.
3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom; I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
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 gone up to heaven, and come down? Who holds the winds in the palm of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has set the earth's boundaries? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Are you sure you don't know?
5 Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Every word God says has been proved true. He defends everyone who comes to him for protection.
6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Don't add anything to his words, or he will criticize you and you'll be shown to be a liar.
7 Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:
God, I want to request two things from you. Please don't refuse to let me have them before I come to 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.
Keep me from being false, help me not to tell lies. Don't make me poor or rich; just provide me with the food I need.
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.
Otherwise if I have plenty of money, I may give up on you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” while if I'm poor I may steal and bring the name of my God into disrepute.
10 Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
Don't slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you and you'll suffer for it.
11 There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
There are some who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
There are some who see themselves as pure but they're still filthy—they have not been washed.
13 There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
There are some who think themselves so high and mighty, and who look down on others.
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 are some who have teeth like swords, incisors like knives, ready to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from society.
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 cry out, “Give me! Give me!” There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough!”:
16 Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
The grave, the womb that doesn't become pregnant, the earth thirsty for water, and the fire that 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.
People who ridicule their fathers and despise obedience to the mother will have their eyes pecked out by wild ravens and eaten by young vultures.
18 There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
These three things are amazingly hard for me, four things I just can't understand:
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 an eagle soars in the sky, the way a snake slides over a rock, the way a ship sails across the sea, the way a man and a woman fall in love.
20 This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
This is the way of a woman who commits adultery: she eats, she wipes her mouth, and then says, “I haven't done anything wrong!”
21 Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
Three things make the earth tremble, there are four things it can't support:
22 a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
a slave becoming a king, a stupid person eating like a pig,
23 an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
an unbearable woman getting married, and a maidservant taking her mistress's place.
24 Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
There are four things on earth that are small, but very wise:
25 The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
Ants—they're not strong, but they work hard all summer storing up food.
26 the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
Hyraxes—they don't have much power, but they make their homes in the rock.
27 the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
Locusts—they don't have a king, but they all march in line abreast.
28 and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
Lizards—you can catch them in your hands, but they live in the king's palace.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
There are three things that are glorious to watch as they walk, four that look dignified as they move:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
The lion, supreme among wild animals, who isn't frightened of anything.
31 a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
The strutting starling, the male goat, and a king with his army.
32 If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
If you have been foolishly boasting about yourself, or if you've been planning to do something wrong, stop and put your hand over your 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.”
Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger causes arguments.
