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 son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to 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 like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
3 Nor have I learned wisdom, so that I should have knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
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 gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has gathered up the waters in a 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 saying of God is purified: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.
Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add aught unto his words: lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.
7 Two things do I request of thee: deny them not to me before I die.
Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me 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:
Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.
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.
For if I have too much, I might deny you and say, “Who is Yahweh?” Or if I become poor, I might steal and profane the name of my God.
10 Do not calumniate a servant unto his master: lest he curse thee, and thou incur guilt.
Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held 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 is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
13 There is a generation—O how lofty are its eyes! and its eyelids are so lifted up.
There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids 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 swords, and their jawbones are like knives, so they may devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
15 Insatiability hath two daughters, [crying, ] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things which never say, Enough:
The leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “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)
Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “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 a father and scorns obedience to a mother, his eyes will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, and he will be eaten by the vultures.
18 Three things there are which are too wonderful for me; and four, which I know not:
There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
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 sky; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wrong.
This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:
Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 Under a servant when he becometh king, and a worthless fool when he hath eaten enough bread;
a slave when he becomes king; 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.
a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
24 There are four which are the little ones of the earth, and they are nevertheless exceedingly wise:
Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, therefore do they prepare in the summer their food;
the ants are creatures that are not strong, but 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 rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
27 The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth in troops altogether;
Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
28 The spider thou canst catch with [thy] hands, and yet she is in the palaces of a king.
As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
29 Three there are that have a stately step, and four, that are stately in going:
There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
30 The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;
a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
31 The light-legged greyhound, and the he-goat; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
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 been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over 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.
As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.
