< Proverbs 30 >
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, [even] unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
4 Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? who has gathered the wind in his fists? who has bound the waters in a garment? who has established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you can tell?
Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield to them that put their trust in him.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add you not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I required of you; deny me them not before I die:
Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
9 Lest I be full, and deny you, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
lest I be full and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God.
10 Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses their father, and does not bless 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 own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;
13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!
14 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.
— a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.
15 The horse leach has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yes, four things say not, It is enough:
The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three [things] never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that says not, It is enough. (Sheol )
— Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. (Sheol )
17 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.
The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yes, four which I know not:
There are three [things] too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:
19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the middle of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
The way of an eagle in the heavens, 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; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.
Such 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 disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
Under three [things] the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 For a servant when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;
23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
under an odious [woman] when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
24 There be four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
There are four [things] little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;
28 The spider takes hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
29 There be three things which go well, yes, four are comely in going:
There are three [things] which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:
30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turns not away for any;
The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
a [horse] girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.
32 If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand on your mouth.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] the hand upon thy mouth.
33 Surely the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood: so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.
For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.