Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
THE words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Surely I am more like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4 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!
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
5 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me before I die:
Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 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.
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10 Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.
Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 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.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15 The leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough”:
The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16 Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 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.
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19 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.
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22 a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 the ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;
The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
