Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.
2 Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man.
Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son— surely you know!
5 Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 Two [things] have I required of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
Two things I ask of You— do not refuse 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:
Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
9 Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].
Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
11 [There is] a generation [that] curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
There is a generation of those who 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 generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
13 [There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
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 generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
15 The horseleach hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yea], four [things] say not, [It is] enough:
The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] saith not, [It is] enough. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘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 eagles shall eat it.
As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
18 There be three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
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 way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20 Such [is] the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:
Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23 For an odious [woman] when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
24 There be four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] exceeding wise:
Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up 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 creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
29 There be three [things] which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30 A lion [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising up.
a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth.
If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
