Proverbs 30
1 These are sayings/messages that God gave to Agur, the son of Jakeh. [Agur wrote them] for Ithiel and Ucal.
THE WORDS OF AGUR THE SONNE OF JAKEH. The prophecie which ye man spake vnto Ithiel, euen to Ithiel, and Vcal.
2 It seems that I am very stupid; I do not deserve to be considered to be a human; I do not have the good sense that humans should have.
Surely I am more foolish then any man, and haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me.
3 I have not learned [how to become] wise and I do not know [much] about God.
For I haue not learned wisedome, nor atteined to the knowledge of holy things.
4 [But let me say this]: No one [RHQ] has ascended to heaven [to find out what God is like] and returned [to tell us]. No one [RHQ] has gathered/held the wind in his hand. No one [RHQ] has wrapped the water [in the ocean] in [a piece of] cloth, and no one [RHQ] has established the boundaries of the earth. [If you know who has done those things, tell me] [RHQ] his name, and the names of his children [SAR]! [But you do not know who has done those things, so you cannot speak with authority about what God is like].
Who hath ascended vp to heauen, and descended? Who hath gathered the winde in his fist? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the endes of the world? What is his name, and what is his sonnes name, if thou canst tell?
5 Everything that God has said is true; he is [like] a shield [MET] for all those who request him to protect them.
Euery worde of God is pure: he is a shield to those, that trust in him.
6 Do not add to (OR, change) what God has said; if you do that, he will rebuke you and show that you are lying.
Put nothing vnto his wordes, least he reproue thee, and thou be found a lyar.
7 [God], I ask you to do two things for me; [please] do them before I die:
Two things haue I required of thee: denie me them not before I die.
8 Help me never to lie or deceive [people] and do not cause me to become poor or to become rich. [Just] give me the food that I need;
Remooue farre from me vanitie and lyes: giue me not pouertie, nor riches: feede me with foode conuenient for me,
9 because if I become rich, I might say that I do not [RHQ] know you and that I do not need you; and if I become poor, I might dishonor you by stealing things.
Least I be full, and denie thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or least I be poore and steale, and take the Name of my God in vaine.
10 Do not (slander/say bad things about) a worker to his boss; if you do that, the worker will curse you, and cause you to have trouble.
Accuse not a seruant vnto his master, lest he curse thee, when thou hast offended.
11 [I will list four kinds of evil things that people do]: Some people curse their fathers and do not [ask God to] bless their mothers.
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doeth not blesse their mother.
12 Some people think that they are perfect, but [really] they have never been cleansed from their guilt for committing disgusting sins.
There is a generation that are pure in their owne conceite, and yet are not washed from their filthinesse.
13 Some people are very proud; they think that they are very good and they despise others.
There is a generation, whose eies are hautie, and their eye liddes are lifted vp.
14 Some people [act very cruelly toward others]; [it is as though] [MET] they have teeth that are [like] sharp knives; they severely oppress poor [people] and try to cause them to disappear from the land.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swordes, and their chawes as kniues to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth, and the poore from among men.
15 Leeches [are always wanting more blood to suck]; [similarly, greedy people are always] saying “Give [me some]!” or “Give [me more]!” [MET] There are four things that are never (satisfied/content with what they have); they always want more [LIT]:
The horse leache hath two daughters which crye, Giue, giue. There be three things that will not be satisfied: yea, foure that say not, It is ynough.
16 The place where the dead people are; women who do not have any children; ground that needs water/rain; and a fire that always needs more wood. (Sheol h7585)
The graue, and the barren wombe, the earth that cannot be satisfied with water, and the fire that sayeth not, It is ynough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Those who [SYN] make fun of their fathers or refuse to obey their mothers (OR, despise their aged mothers) should [die and] have their eyes pecked out by crows, and the [rest of their corpses should be] fed to the vultures.
The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother, let ye rauens of the valley picke it out, and the yong eagles eate it.
18 There are four things that are wonderful to me, [but] I do not understand any of them:
There be three thinges hid from me: yea, foure that I knowe not,
19 How eagles fly in the sky, how snakes [are able to] move/crawl across a big rock, how ships sail on the seas, and how a man falls in love with a woman.
The way of an eagle in the aire, the way of a serpent vpon a stone, ye way of a ship in ye middes of the sea, and the way of a man with a maide.
20 This is what a woman who (is not faithful to/does not have sex only with) her husband does: She commits adultery [EUP], and [then] bathes and says, “I have not done anything that is wrong!”
Such is ye way also of an adulterous woman: she eateth and wipeth her mouth, and sayth, I haue not committed iniquitie.
21 There are four things that no [one in] the world can tolerate:
For three things the earth is moued: yea, for foure it cannot susteine it selfe:
22 [What] a slave [does who] becomes a king, a foolish person eating [too much] food,
For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when he is filled with meate,
23 [what] a woman who is hated [does when she] gets married, and [what] a female servant [does when she] becomes the boss instead of her mistress.
For the hatefull woman, when she is married, and for a handmaid that is heire to her mistres.
24 [There are] four animals on the earth that are small, but they are very wise:
These be foure small things in the earth, yet they are wise and full of wisedome:
25 Ants are not strong, but they store up food during the summer [in order to have it during the winter].
The pismires a people not strong, yet prepare they their meate in sommer:
26 Rock badgers [also] are not strong, but they make their homes among the rocks [where they will be safe].
The conies a people not mightie, yet make their houses in the rocke:
27 Locusts do not have a king, but they march like [the soldiers in] an army.
The grashopper hath no King, yet goe they forth all by bandes:
28 Lizards/Geckos [are very small and] you can hold them in your hand, but they are [cleverly able to get] inside kings’ palaces.
The spider taketh holde with her handes, and is in Kings palaces.
29 [There are] four animals that strut around and look very impressive while they walk [DOU]:
There be three thinges that order well their going: yea, foure are comely in going,
30 Lions, which are stronger than all other animals and are not afraid of any of them;
A lyon which is strong among beastes, and turneth not at the sight of any:
31 male goats, strutting roosters, and kings who (parade/walk proudly back and forth) in front of the people whom they rule.
A lusty grayhound, and a goate, and a King against whom there is no rising vp.
32 If you have acted foolishly, exalting yourself, or if you been planning [to do something] evil, stop it immediately [IDM]!
If thou hast bene foolish in lifting thy selfe vp, and if thou hast thought wickedly, lay thine hand vpon thy mouth.
33 If you churn milk, it produces butter/curds, and if you hit [someone hard on his] nose, [his nose] bleeds; similarly, if you do something to cause [people to become] angry, strife [usually] results.
When one churneth milke, he bringeth foorth butter: and he that wringeth his nose, causeth blood to come out: so he that forceth wrath, bringeth foorth strife.
