Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur the son of Yakeh, even the prophecy: the man said unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ukkal,

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spoke unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

2 “Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a common man.

Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

3 Nor have I learned wisdom, so that I should have knowledge of the Holy One.

I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

4 Who was it that ascended into heaven, and came down again? who gathered the wind in his fists? who bound the waters in a garment? who set up all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest it?”

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?

5 Every saying of God is purified: he is a shield unto those 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 Do not add aught unto his words: lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Add you not unto his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things do I request of thee: deny them not to me before I die.

Two things have I required of you; deny me them not before I die:

8 Vanity and lying words do thou remove far from me: neither poverty nor riches give thou unto me; let me eat the bread appointed unto me:

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

9 Lest I become over-full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I become poor, and steal, and trespass against the name of my God.

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.

10 Do not calumniate a servant unto his master: lest he curse thee, and thou incur guilt.

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that curseth its father, and doth not bless its mother.

There is a generation that curses their father, and does not bless their mother.

12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed [clean] of its filthiness.

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

13 There is a generation—O how lofty are its eyes! and its eyelids are so lifted up.

There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and whose string teeth are as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy 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 Insatiability hath two daughters, [crying, ] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things which never say, Enough:

The horseleach has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

16 The nether world; and a barren womb; the earth which is not satisfied with water; and the fire which never saith, Enough. (Sheol h7585)

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)

17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, this shall the ravens of the valley pick out; and the young eagles shall eat it.

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.

18 Three things there are which are too wonderful for me; and four, which I know not:

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

19 The way of the eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.

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 the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wrong.

Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.

21 Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

22 Under a servant when he becometh king, and a worthless fool when he hath eaten enough bread;

For a servant when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with food;

23 Under an odious woman when she is married, and a bond-woman when she dispossesseth her mistress.

For an abhorrent woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

24 There are four which are the little ones of the earth, and they are nevertheless exceedingly wise:

There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

25 The ants are a people not strong, therefore do they prepare in the summer their food;

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;

26 The conies are but a feeble people, therefore do they place on the rocks their houses;

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

27 The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth in troops altogether;

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

28 The spider thou canst catch with [thy] hands, and yet she is in the palaces of a king.

The spider takes hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

29 Three there are that have a stately step, and four, that are stately in going:

There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

30 The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;

A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turns not away for any;

31 The light-legged greyhound, and the he-goat; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

32 If thou hast become degraded by lifting up thyself, or if thou hast devised evil, put thy hand to thy mouth:

If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand upon your mouth.

33 For the pressure of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife.

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.