< Proverbs 30 >
1 THE WORDS OF AGUR THE SONNE OF JAKEH. The prophecie which ye man spake vnto Ithiel, euen to Ithiel, and Vcal.
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Surely I am more foolish then any man, and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me.
Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man:
3 For I haue not learned wisedome, nor atteined to the knowledge of holy things.
And I have not learned wisdom, neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 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?
Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in his garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou knowest?
5 Euery worde of God is pure: he is a shield to those, that trust in him.
Every word of God is tried: he is a shield unto them that trust in him.
6 Put nothing vnto his wordes, least he reproue thee, and thou be found a lyar.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things haue I required of thee: denie me them not before I die.
Two things have I asked of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 Remooue farre from me vanitie and lyes: giue me not pouertie, nor riches: feede me with foode conuenient for me,
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me:
9 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.
Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and use profanely the name of my God.
10 Accuse not a seruant vnto his master, lest he curse thee, when thou hast offended.
Slander not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doeth not blesse their mother.
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceite, and yet are not washed from their filthinesse.
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes; and [yet] are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, whose eies are hautie, and their eye liddes are lifted vp.
There is a generation, Oh how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 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.
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 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.
The horseleach hath two daughters, [Crying], Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, [yea], four that say not, Enough:
16 The graue, and the barren wombe, the earth that cannot be satisfied with water, and the fire that sayeth not, It is ynough. (Sheol )
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not, Enough. (Sheol )
17 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.
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 There be three thinges hid from me: yea, foure that I knowe not,
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19 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.
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 ye way also of an adulterous woman: she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and sayth, I haue not committed iniquitie.
So is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 For three things the earth is moued: yea, for foure it cannot susteine it selfe:
For three things the earth doth tremble, and for four, [which] it cannot bear:
22 For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when he is filled with meate,
For a servant when he is king; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 For the hatefull woman, when she is married, and for a handmaid that is heire to her mistres.
For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 These be foure small things in the earth, yet they are wise and full of wisedome:
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 The pismires a people not strong, yet prepare they their meate in sommer:
The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their meat in the summer;
26 The conies a people not mightie, yet make their houses in the rocke:
The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 The grashopper hath no King, yet goe they forth all by bandes:
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 The spider taketh holde with her handes, and is in Kings palaces.
The lizard taketh hold with her hands, yet is she in kings’ palaces,
29 There be three thinges that order well their going: yea, foure are comely in going,
There be three things which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:
30 A lyon which is strong among beastes, and turneth not at the sight of any:
The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 A lusty grayhound, and a goate, and a King against whom there is no rising vp.
The greyhound; the he-goat also; and the king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 If thou hast bene foolish in lifting thy selfe vp, and if thou hast thought wickedly, lay thine hand vpon thy mouth.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 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.
For the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.