Proverbs 30
1 Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: — I have wearied myself [for] God, I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed.
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.
“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
3 Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.
I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His name? and what His son's name? Surely 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] tried, A shield He [is] to those trusting in Him.
“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.
Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
7 Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.
“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.
8 Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
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 become satiated, and have denied, And have said, 'Who [is] Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.
lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem 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 [is], that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.
There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
12 A generation — pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.
There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 A generation — how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
14 A generation — swords [are] their teeth, And knives — their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from 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 To the leech [are] two daughters, 'Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said 'Sufficiency;'
“The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
16 Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth — it [is] not satisfied [with] water, And fire — it hath not said, 'Sufficiency,' (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 An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.
“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 have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:
“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
19 The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.
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 — the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, 'I have not done iniquity.'
“So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four — it is not able to bear:
“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
22 For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,
For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
23 For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.
for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
24 Four [are] little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:
“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants [are] a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,
The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
26 Conies [are] a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,
The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
27 A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out — each one shouting,
The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
28 A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.
You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29 Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:
“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
30 An old lion — mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,
The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
31 A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king — no rising up with him.
the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
32 If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil — hand to mouth!
“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!
For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”
