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 his prophecy; the inspired utterance of the man to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal.
2 Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most 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 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 add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:
Two things do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from 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 falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food which is needful 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 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, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
11 There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
There is a class of men that 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 is a class who are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
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 swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed 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 and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never 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, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
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 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 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 too wonderful for me, four that I cannot 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 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 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 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 eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22 a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
23 an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
24 Four things on earth are small, yet 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 creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
26 the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes 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 all advance in formation;
The locusts have no king, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
28 and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31 a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
32 If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted 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 yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth 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.
