Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur, son of Jakeh, [even] the oracle, —The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for 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, more brutish, am, I, than any man, nor doth, the understanding of a son of earth, pertain to me;
Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.
I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most Holy.
4 Who hath ascended the heavens and then descended? Who hath gathered the wind into his two hands? Who hath wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who hath set up all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what the name of his son, when thou knowest?
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 saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge in him.
Every word of God is pure; A shield is he to them that put their trust in him.
6 Do not add unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou be found false.
Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things, have I asked of thee, withhold them not from me, ere yet I die:
Two things do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from me, before I die!
8 Vanity and falsehood, remove far from me, Neither poverty nor riches, give me, Feed me with the food appointed 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, and say—Who is Yahweh? or lest I be impoverished and steal, and do violence to the Name of my God.
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 Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he revile thee, and thou be found guilty.
Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
11 A generation! Its father, it revileth, and, its mother, it doth not bless.
There is a class of men that curse their fathers, And do not bless their mothers.
12 A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,
There is a class who are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 A generation! How lofty are its eyes, and its eyelashes uplifted.
There is a class, —O how lofty are their eyes, And how are their eyelids lifted up!
14 A generation! Swords, are its teeth, and, knives, its incisors, —to devour the humbled out of 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 vampire, hath two daughters, Give! Give! Three, there are will not be satisfied, four, have not said, 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 Hades, and barrenness, —A land not satisfied with water, and fire, that saith not, 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 mocketh a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young of the eagle 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 Three, things there are, too difficult for me, yea, four, which I do not understand:
These three things are too wonderful for me; Yea, there are four which I understand not:
19 The way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent on the rock, —the way of a ship in the heart 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 So, is the way of a woman committing adultery, —she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no iniquity!
Such is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she cannot bear up:
Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22 Under a servant, when he reigneth, and a base man, when he is surfeited with food;
Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
23 Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.
Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
24 Four, things there are, the small of the earth, —yet, they, are wiser than the wise:
There are four things which are small upon the earth, Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom.
25 The ants, a people, not strong, —yet prepare they, in summer, their food;
The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
26 The conies, a people of, no power, yet set they, among the crags, their house;
The conies are a feeble people, Yet do they make their houses in the rocks.
27 King, is there none, to, the locusts, —yet go forth in swarms, do they all;
The locusts have no king, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
28 The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold, —yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.
The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29 Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:
These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30 The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;
The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31 The greyhound, or the he-goat, —and a king, having a band of soldiers with him.
The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
32 If thou hast acted basely by lifting thyself up, —if thou hast plotted evil, [put thy] hand to [thy] mouth!
If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on thy mouth!
33 Surely, the pressing of milk, bringeth forth curd, and, the pressing of the nose, bringeth forth blood, and, the pressing of wrath, bringeth 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.
