Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the burden. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:
The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, even his prophecy; the inspired utterance of the man to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal.
2 Surely I am brutish, unlike a man, and have not the understanding of a man;
Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
3 And I have not learned wisdom, that I should have the knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most Holy.
4 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?
Who hath gone up into heaven and come down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound up the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what his son's name, if thou knowest?
5 Every word of God is tried; He is a shield unto them that take refuge in Him.
Every word of God is pure; A shield is he to them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I asked of Thee; deny me them not before I die:
Two things do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from me, before I die!
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with mine allotted bread;
Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food which is needful for me;
9 Lest I be full, and deny, and say: 'Who is the LORD?' Or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.
Lest I be full, and deny thee, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor, and steal, And violate the name of my God.
10 Slander not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
11 There is a generation that curse their father, and do not bless their mother.
There is a class of men that curse their fathers, And do not bless their mothers.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
There is a class who are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, Oh how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a class, —O how lofty are their eyes, And how are their eyelids lifted up!
14 There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their great teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
There is a class, 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: 'Give, give.' There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four that say not: 'Enough':
The vampire hath two daughters; “Give! give!” [[is their cry.]] There are three things which are never satisfied; Yea, four which say not, “Enough!”
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not: 'Enough.' (Sheol h7585)
The underworld, and the barren womb; The earth, which is not satiated with water, And fire, which never saith, “It is enough!” (Sheol h7585)
17 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 vultures shall eat it.
The eye that mocketh at a father, And scorneth to obey a mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
These three things are too wonderful for me; Yea, there are four which I understand 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 with a young woman.
The track of an eagle in the air, The track of a serpent upon a rock, The track of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the track of a man with a maid.
20 So is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: 'I have done no wickedness.'
Such is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 For three things the earth doth quake, and for four it cannot endure:
Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a churl when he is filled with food;
Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
23 For an odious woman when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
24 There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
There are four things which are small upon the earth, Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom.
25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
26 The rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the crags;
The conies are a feeble people, Yet do they make their houses in the rocks.
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
The locusts have no king, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
28 The spider thou canst take with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29 There are three things which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:
These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31 The greyhound; the he-goat also; and the king, against whom there is no rising up.
The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast planned devices, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.
If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on thy mouth!
33 For the churning of milk bringeth forth curd, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
For, as the pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese, And as the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood, So the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
