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 Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,

2 Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.

Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

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 up into heaven, or descended? who has gathered the wind in his fists? who has bound the waters in a garment? who has established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you can tell?

5 Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield to them that put their trust in him.

6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.

Add you not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:

Two things have I required of you; deny me them not 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 lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

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 I be full, and deny you, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

10 Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.

Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

There is a generation that curses their father, and 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 that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

13 There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—

There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

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, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy 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 horse leach has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yes, four things say not, It is enough:

16 Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that says not, It is 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 that mocks at his father, and despises to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

18 There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yes, four which I know not:

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 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 maid.

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 of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.

21 Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

22 a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,

For a servant when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

23 an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.

For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

24 Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:

There be four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

25 The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

26 the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

27 the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

28 and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.

The spider takes hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:

There be three things which go well, yes, four are comely in going:

30 a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;

A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turns not away for any;

31 a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.

A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

32 If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.

If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand on 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.”

Surely the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood: so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.