Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spoke unto Ithiel, even 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 more brutish than any 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 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most 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 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 pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Every word of God is pure; A shield is he to them that put their trust in him.
6 Add you not unto his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke 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; Withhold them not from me, 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 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 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 the LORD?” Or lest I be poor, and steal, And violate the name of my God.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse you, and you 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 curses their father, and does 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 is 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, O 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 jaw 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 horseleach has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is 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 filled with water; and the fire that says not, It is 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 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 scorneth 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, 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 maid.
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 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 nothing wrong.”
21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22 For a servant when he reigns; and a fool 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 abhorrent woman when she is married; and an 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 be 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 prepare their food in the summer;
The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
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 takes hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turns not away for any;
The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a 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 you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand upon your mouth.
If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on 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, 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.
