Proverbs 30

1 The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle. The man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.

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

3 I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.

and I have not learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.

4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?

Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou know?

5 Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.

Every word of God is tried. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6 Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar:

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

7 Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.

Two things I have asked of thee, deny me not before I die:

8 Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:

Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,

9 Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.

lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor, and steal, and use the name of my God profanely.

10 Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.

Slander not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.

11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

There is a generation who curses their father, and does not bless their mother.

12 A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.

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

13 A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.

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

14 A generation, that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor from among men.

There is a generation 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 horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.

The leach has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four that do not say, Enough:

16 Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough. (Sheol h7585)

Sheol, and the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that does not say, Enough. (Sheol h7585)

17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat 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 Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.

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

19 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 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 maiden.

20 Such is also the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.

So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no iniquity.

21 By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:

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

22 By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:

For a servant when he is king, and a fool when he is filled with food,

23 By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.

for a hateful woman when she is married, and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

24 There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:

There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

25 The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:

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

26 The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:

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

27 The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands.

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

28 The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings’ houses.

the lizard takes hold with her hands, yet she is in kings' palaces.

29 There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:

There are three things which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:

30 A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:

The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turns not away from any,

31 A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.

the greyhound, also the he-goat, and the king against whom there is no rising up.

32 There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.

If thou have done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou have thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

33 And he that strongly squeezeth the papa to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath bringeth forth strife.

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