Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,

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

2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of 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 neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? who has gathered the wind in his fists? who has bound the waters in a garment? who has established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you can tell?

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 pure: he is a shield to them that put their trust in him.

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

6 Add you not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

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

7 Two things have I required of you; deny me them not before I die:

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

8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

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

9 Lest I be full, and deny you, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

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 Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

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

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

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

12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

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 lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids 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 as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy 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 horse leach has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yes, four things say not, It is 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; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that says not, It is 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 that mocks at his father, and despises to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

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 be three things which are too wonderful for me, yes, four which I know not:

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 serpent on a rock; the way of a ship in the middle of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

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 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.

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 disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

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

22 For a servant when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

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

23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

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

24 There be four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

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

25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

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

26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they 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, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

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

28 The spider takes hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.

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

29 There be three things which go well, yes, four are comely in going:

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

30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turns not away for any;

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

31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

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

32 If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand on your mouth.

If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.

33 Surely the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood: so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.

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