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, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, 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;

“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.

3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.

I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

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 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 all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?

5 Every saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge in him.

“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6 Do not add unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou be found false.

Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things, have I asked of thee, withhold them not from me, ere yet I die:

“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny 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 that 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, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he revile thee, and thou be found guilty.

“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

11 A generation! Its father, it revileth, and, its mother, it doth not bless.

There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.

12 A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,

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

13 A generation! How lofty are its eyes, and its eyelashes uplifted.

There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are 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 generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from 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 leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:

16 Hades, and barrenness, —A land not satisfied with water, and fire, that saith not, Enough! (Sheol h7585)

Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘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 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.

18 Three, things there are, too difficult for me, yea, four, which I do not understand:

“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:

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 way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.

20 So, is the way of a woman committing adultery, —she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no iniquity!

“So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

21 Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she cannot bear up:

“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:

22 Under a servant, when he reigneth, and a base man, when he is surfeited with food;

For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,

23 Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.

for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is 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 little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

25 The ants, a people, not strong, —yet prepare they, in summer, their food;

The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

26 The conies, a people of, no power, yet set they, among the crags, their house;

The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they 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 they advance in ranks.

28 The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold, —yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.

You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29 Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:

“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

30 The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;

The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;

31 The greyhound, or the he-goat, —and a king, having a band of soldiers with him.

the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

32 If thou hast acted basely by lifting thyself up, —if thou hast plotted evil, [put thy] hand to [thy] mouth!

“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your 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 churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”