Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end:
The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man:
Surely I am more like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
3 I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?
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!
5 Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him.
Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.
7 I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:
Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me before I die:
8 Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food:
Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.
9 For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.
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.
10 Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.
Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.
11 There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother.
There is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.
There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
13 There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up!
There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.
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.
15 The night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough:
The leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough”:
16 The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which never says, Enough. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
17 The eye which makes sport of a father, and sees no value in a mother when she is old will be rooted out by the ravens of the valley, and be food for the young eagles.
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.
18 There are three things, the wonder of which overcomes me, even four things outside my knowledge:
There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air; 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 girl.
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.
20 This is the way of a false wife; she takes food, and, cleaning her mouth, says, I have done no wrong.
This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:
Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;
a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
23 A hated woman when she is married; and a servant-girl who takes the place of her master's wife.
a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
24 There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are very wise:
Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, but they put by a store of food in the summer;
the ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The conies are only a feeble people, but they make their houses in the rocks;
the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
27 The locusts have no king, but they all go out in bands;
Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
28 You may take the lizard in your hands, but it is in kings' houses.
As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
29 There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:
There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
30 The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;
a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
31 The war-horse, and the he-goat, and the king when his army is with him.
a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
32 If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your mouth.
If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.
33 The shaking of milk makes butter, and the twisting of the nose makes blood come: so the forcing of wrath is a cause of fighting.
As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.
