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 SONNE OF JAKEH. The prophecie which ye man spake vnto Ithiel, euen to Ithiel, and Vcal.
2 I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
Surely I am more foolish then any man, and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me.
3 I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.
For I haue not learned wisedome, nor atteined to the knowledge of holy things.
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 hath ascended vp to heauen, and descended? Who hath gathered the winde in his fist? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the endes of the world? What is his name, and what is his sonnes name, if thou canst tell?
5 Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.
Euery worde of God is pure: he is a shield to those, that trust in him.
6 Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar:
Put nothing vnto his wordes, least he reproue thee, and thou be found a lyar.
7 Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.
Two things haue I required of thee: denie me them 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:
Remooue farre from me vanitie and lyes: giue me not pouertie, nor riches: feede me with foode conuenient 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.
Least I be full, and denie thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or least I be poore and steale, and take the Name of my God in vaine.
10 Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.
Accuse not a seruant vnto his master, lest he curse thee, when thou hast offended.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doeth not blesse their mother.
12 A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceite, and yet are not washed from their filthinesse.
13 A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.
There is a generation, whose eies are hautie, and their eye liddes are lifted vp.
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 as swordes, and their chawes as kniues to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth, and the poore 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 horse leache hath two daughters which crye, Giue, giue. There be three things that will not be satisfied: yea, foure that say not, It is ynough.
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)
The graue, and the barren wombe, the earth that cannot be satisfied with water, and the fire that sayeth not, It is ynough. (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 mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother, let ye rauens of the valley picke it out, and the yong eagles eate it.
18 Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.
There be three thinges hid from me: yea, foure that I knowe 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 aire, the way of a serpent vpon a stone, ye way of a ship in ye middes of the sea, and the way of a man with a maide.
20 Such is also the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.
Such is ye way also of an adulterous woman: she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and sayth, I haue not committed iniquitie.
21 By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:
For three things the earth is moued: yea, for foure it cannot susteine it selfe:
22 By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:
For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when he is filled with meate,
23 By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.
For the hatefull woman, when she is married, and for a handmaid that is heire to her mistres.
24 There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
These be foure small things in the earth, yet they are wise and full of wisedome:
25 The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:
The pismires a people not strong, yet prepare they their meate in sommer:
26 The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:
The conies a people not mightie, yet make their houses in the rocke:
27 The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands.
The grashopper hath no King, yet goe they forth all by bandes:
28 The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings’ houses.
The spider taketh holde with her handes, and is in Kings palaces.
29 There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:
There be three thinges that order well their going: yea, foure are comely in going,
30 A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
A lyon which is strong among beastes, and turneth not at the sight of any:
31 A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.
A lusty grayhound, and a goate, and a King against whom there is no rising vp.
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 hast bene foolish in lifting thy selfe vp, and if thou hast thought wickedly, lay thine hand vpon 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.
When one churneth milke, he bringeth foorth butter: and he that wringeth his nose, causeth blood to come out: so he that forceth wrath, bringeth foorth strife.
