Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end:
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.
2 For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man:
Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
3 I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?
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!
5 Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him.
Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:
Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:
8 Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food:
Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
9 For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.
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.
10 Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.
Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
11 There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother.
There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.
There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
13 There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up!
There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.
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.
15 The night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough:
The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which never says, Enough. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
17 The eye which makes sport of a father, and sees no value in a mother when she is old will be rooted out by the ravens of the valley, and be food for the young eagles.
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.
18 There are three things, the wonder of which overcomes me, even four things outside my knowledge:
There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a girl.
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.
20 This is the way of a false wife; she takes food, and, cleaning her mouth, says, I have done no wrong.
This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:
Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22 A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;
a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23 A hated woman when she is married; and a servant-girl who takes the place of her master's wife.
an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
24 There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are very wise:
Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, but they put by a store of food in the summer;
The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 The conies are only a feeble people, but they make their houses in the rocks;
the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, but they all go out in bands;
the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
28 You may take the lizard in your hands, but it is in kings' houses.
and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
29 There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:
There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30 The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;
a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31 The war-horse, and the he-goat, and the king when his army is with him.
a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
32 If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your mouth.
If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 The shaking of milk makes butter, and the twisting of the nose makes blood come: so the forcing of wrath is a cause of fighting.
For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
