Proverbs 30
1 These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.
THE words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.
Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4 Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children?
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
5 For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be made a liar.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things I ask of you; take not favour from me before I die.
Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth [or] poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient:
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear [vainly] by the name of God.
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10 Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse you, and you be utterly destroyed.
Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother.
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way.
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids.
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 A wicked generation have swords [for] teeth and jaw teeth [as] knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them from amongst 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 horse-leech had three dearly beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough.
The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16 The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 The eye that laughs to scorn a father, and dishonours the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not:
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19 the track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth.
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss.
Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 By three thing the earth is troubled, and the fourth it can’t bear:
For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22 if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food;
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 or if a maidservant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man.
For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 And [there are] four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise:
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 the ants which are weak, and [yet] prepare [their] food in summer;
The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 the rabbits also [are] a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks.
The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, and [yet] march orderly at one command.
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 And the eft, which supports itself by [its] hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
29 And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely.
There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 A lion's whelp, stronger than [all other] beasts, which turns not away, nor fears [any] beast;
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 and a cock walking in boldly amongst the hens, and the goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation.
A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 If you abandon yourself to mirth, and stretch forth your hand in a quarrel, you shall be disgraced.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if you wing [one's] nostrils there shall come out blood: so if you extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes.
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
