Proverbiorum 30
1 Verba Congregantis filii Vomentis. Visio, quam locutus est vir, cum quo est Deus, et qui Deo secum morante confortatus, ait:
These are sayings/messages that God gave to Agur, the son of Jakeh. [Agur wrote them] for Ithiel and Ucal.
2 Stultissimus sum virorum, et sapientia hominum non est mecum.
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.
3 Non didici sapientiam, et non novi scientiam sanctorum.
I have not learned [how to become] wise and I do not know [much] about God.
4 Quis ascendit in cælum atque descendit? quis continuit spiritum in manibus suis? quis colligavit aquas quasi in vestimento? quis suscitavit omnes terminos terræ? quod nomen est eius, et quod nomen filii eius, si nosti?
[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].
5 Omnis sermo Dei ignitus, clypeus est sperantibus in se:
Everything that God has said is true; he is [like] a shield [MET] for all those who request him to protect them.
6 ne addas quidquam verbis illius, et arguaris inveniarisque mendax.
Do not add to (OR, change) what God has said; if you do that, he will rebuke you and show that you are lying.
7 Duo rogavi te, ne deneges mihi antequam moriar.
[God], I ask you to do two things for me; [please] do them before I die:
8 Vanitatem, et verba mendacia longe fac a me. Mendicitatem, et divitias ne dederis mihi: tribue tantum victui meo necessaria:
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;
9 ne forte satiatus illiciar ad negandum, et dicam: Quis est Dominus? aut egestate compulsus furer, et periurem nomen Dei mei.
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.
10 Ne accuses servum ad dominum suum, ne forte maledicat tibi, et corruas.
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.
11 Generatio, quæ patri suo maledicit, et quæ matri suæ non benedicit.
[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.
12 Generatio, quæ sibi munda videtur, et tamen non est lota a sordibus suis.
Some people think that they are perfect, but [really] they have never been cleansed from their guilt for committing disgusting sins.
13 Generatio, cuius excelsi sunt oculi, et palpebræ eius in alta surrectæ.
Some people are very proud; they think that they are very good and they despise others.
14 Generatio, quæ pro dentibus gladios habet, et commandit molaribus suis, ut comedat inopes de terra, et pauperes ex hominibus.
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.
15 Sanguisugæ duæ sunt filiæ, dicentes: Affer, Affer. Tria sunt insaturabilia, et quartum, quod numquam dicit: Sufficit.
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]:
16 Infernus, et os vulvæ, et terra, quæ non satiatur aqua: ignis vero numquam dicit: Sufficit. (Sheol h7585)
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)
17 Oculum, qui subsannat patrem, et qui despicit partum matris suæ, effodiant eum corvi de torrentibus, et comedant eum filii aquilæ.
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.
18 Tria sunt difficilia mihi, et quartum penitus ignoro:
There are four things that are wonderful to me, [but] I do not understand any of them:
19 Viam aquilæ in cælo, viam colubri super petram, viam navis in medio mari, et viam viri in adolescentia.
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.
20 Talis est et via mulieris adulteræ, quæ comedit, et tergens os suum dicit: Non sum operata malum.
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!”
21 Per tria movetur terra, et quartum non potest sustinere:
There are four things that no [one in] the world can tolerate:
22 Per servum cum regnaverit: per stultum cum saturatus fuerit cibo:
[What] a slave [does who] becomes a king, a foolish person eating [too much] food,
23 per odiosam mulierem cum in matrimonio fuerit assumpta: et per ancillam cum fuerit heres dominæ suæ.
[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.
24 Quatuor sunt minima terræ, et ipsa sunt sapientiora sapientibus.
[There are] four animals on the earth that are small, but they are very wise:
25 Formicæ, populus infirmus, qui præparat in messe cibum sibi:
Ants are not strong, but they store up food during the summer [in order to have it during the winter].
26 lepusculus, plebs invalida, qui collocat in petra cubile suum:
Rock badgers [also] are not strong, but they make their homes among the rocks [where they will be safe].
27 regem locusta non habet, et egreditur universa per turmas suas:
Locusts do not have a king, but they march like [the soldiers in] an army.
28 stellio manibus nititur, et moratur in ædibus regis.
Lizards/Geckos [are very small and] you can hold them in your hand, but they are [cleverly able to get] inside kings’ palaces.
29 Tria sunt, quæ bene gradiuntur, et quartum, quod incedit feliciter:
[There are] four animals that strut around and look very impressive while they walk [DOU]:
30 Leo fortissimus bestiarum, ad nullius pavebit occursum:
Lions, which are stronger than all other animals and are not afraid of any of them;
31 gallus succinctus lumbos: et aries: nec est rex, qui resistat ei.
male goats, strutting roosters, and kings who (parade/walk proudly back and forth) in front of the people whom they rule.
32 Est qui stultus apparuit postquam elevatus est in sublime: si enim intellexisset, ori suo imposuisset manum.
If you have acted foolishly, exalting yourself, or if you been planning [to do something] evil, stop it immediately [IDM]!
33 Qui autem fortiter premit ubera ad eliciendum lac, exprimit butyrum: et qui vehementer emungit, elicit sanguinem: et qui provocat iras, producit discordias.
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.
