Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: — I have wearied myself [for] God, I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed.
2 "Surely I am the most ignorant man, and do not have a man's understanding.
For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.
4 Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established every part of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?
Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!
5 "Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Every saying of God [is] tried, A shield He [is] to those trusting in Him.
6 Do not add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.
7 "Two things I have asked of you; do not deny me before I die:
Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;
Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
9 lest I be full, deny you, and say, 'Who is Jehovah?' or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, 'Who [is] Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.
10 "Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn't bless their mother.
A generation [is], that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
A generation — pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes. Their eyelids are lifted up.
A generation — how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.
A generation — swords [are] their teeth, And knives — their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from [among] men.
15 "The leach has two daughters: 'Give, give.' "There are three things that are never satisfied; four that do not say, 'Enough:'
To the leech [are] two daughters, 'Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said 'Sufficiency;'
16 Sheol, the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that doesn't say, 'Enough.' (Sheol h7585)
Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth — it [is] not satisfied [with] water, And fire — it hath not said, 'Sufficiency,' (Sheol h7585)
17 "The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother: the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.
An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.
18 "There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I do not understand:
Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:
19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden.
The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.
20 "So is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, 'I have done nothing wrong.'
So — the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, 'I have not done iniquity.'
21 "For three things the earth tremble, and under four, it can't bear up:
For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four — it is not able to bear:
22 For a servant when he is king; a fool when he is filled with food;
For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,
23 for an unloved woman when she is married; and a handmaid who is heir to her mistress.
For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.
24 "There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
Four [are] little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:
25 the ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
The ants [are] a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,
26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
Conies [are] a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,
27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out — each one shouting,
28 You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.
A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.
29 "There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn't turn away for any;
An old lion — mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,
31 the greyhound, the male goat also; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king — no rising up with him.
32 "If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil — hand to mouth!
33 For as 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 churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!
