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 his prophecy; the inspired utterance of the man to Ithiel, even to 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.
Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most 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 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 word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take 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 to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.
Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke 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 do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from me, 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 falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food which is needful 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 violate the name of my God.
10 Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.
Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
11 There is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.
There is a class of men that curse their fathers, And do not bless their mothers.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
There is a class who are pure in their own eyes, And yet are 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 class, —O how lofty are their eyes, And how are their eyelids 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 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 leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “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 Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “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 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 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 There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that 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 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 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 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 nothing wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22 a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
23 a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
24 Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
There are four things which are small upon the earth, Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom.
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 in the summer their food.
26 the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
The conies are a feeble people, Yet do they make their houses in the rocks.
27 Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
The locusts have no king, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
28 As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30 a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31 a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.
If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on 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.
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.
