Proverbs 30

1 These are the words of Agur, son of Jakeh. An oracle. This is what the man says, God, I'm really tired, I'm worn out.

The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 I'm so stupid I'm not really a man; I can't even think like a human being.

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 learned wisdom; I have no 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 holds the winds in the palm of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has set the earth's boundaries? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Are you sure you don't know?

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 God says has been proved true. He defends everyone who comes to him for protection.

Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6 Don't add anything to his words, or he will criticize you and you'll be shown to be a liar.

Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.

7 God, I want to request two things from you. Please don't refuse to let me have them before I come to die.

Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me before I die:

8 Keep me from being false, help me not to tell lies. Don't make me poor or rich; just provide me with the food I need.

Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.

9 Otherwise if I have plenty of money, I may give up on you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” while if I'm poor I may steal and bring the name of my God into disrepute.

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 Don't slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you and you'll suffer for it.

Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.

11 There are some who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

There is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.

12 There are some who see themselves as pure but they're still filthy—they have not been washed.

There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.

13 There are some who think themselves so high and mighty, and who look down on others.

There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!

14 There are some who have teeth like swords, incisors like knives, ready to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from society.

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 leech has two daughters who cry out, “Give me! Give me!” There are three things that are never satisfied, four that 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 grave, the womb that doesn't become pregnant, the earth thirsty for water, and the fire that 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 People who ridicule their fathers and despise obedience to the mother will have their eyes pecked out by wild ravens and eaten by young vultures.

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 These three things are amazingly hard for me, four things I just can't understand:

There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:

19 The way an eagle soars in the sky, the way a snake slides over a rock, the way a ship sails across the sea, the way a man and a woman fall in love.

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 woman who commits adultery: she eats, she wipes her mouth, and then says, “I haven't done anything wrong!”

This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”

21 Three things make the earth tremble, there are four things it can't support:

Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:

22 a slave becoming a king, a stupid person eating like a pig,

a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;

23 an unbearable woman getting married, and a maidservant taking her mistress's place.

a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.

24 There are four things on earth that are small, but very wise:

Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:

25 Ants—they're not strong, but they work hard all summer storing up food.

the ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;

26 Hyraxes—they don't have much power, but they make their homes in the rock.

the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.

27 Locusts—they don't have a king, but they all march in line abreast.

Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.

28 Lizards—you can catch them in your hands, but they live in the king's palace.

As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.

29 There are three things that are glorious to watch as they walk, four that look dignified as they move:

There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:

30 The lion, supreme among wild animals, who isn't frightened of anything.

a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;

31 The strutting starling, the male goat, and a king with his army.

a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.

32 If you have been foolishly boasting about yourself, or if you've been planning to do something wrong, stop and 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 Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger causes arguments.

As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.