Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
The words of the Gatherer, the son of the Vomiter. The vision that the man spoke. God is with him, and he, being strengthened by God and abiding with him, said:
2 “Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
“I am the most foolish among men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.
4 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?
Who has ascended to heaven and also descended? Who has grasped the wind in his hands? Who has tied the waters together, as with a garment? Who has raised all the limits of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son, if you know?
5 “Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Every word of God is fire-tested. He is a bronze shield to those who hope in him.
6 Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Do not add anything to his words, lest you be reproved and be discovered to be a liar.
7 “Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.
Two things I have asked of you; do not deny them to me before I die.
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words. Give me neither begging, nor wealth. Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,
9 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.
lest perhaps, being filled, I might be enticed into denial, and say: ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or, being compelled by destitution, I might steal, and then perjure myself in the name of my God.
10 “Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
Do not accuse a servant to his lord, lest he curse you, and you fall.
11 There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
There is a generation which curses their father, and which does not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
There is a generation which seems pure to themselves, and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated, and their eyelids are lifted on high.
14 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.
There is a generation which has swords in place of teeth, and which commands their molars to devour the indigent from the earth and the poor from among men.
15 “The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
The leech has two daughters, who say, ‘Bring, bring.’ Three things are insatiable, and a fourth never says ‘Enough’:
16 Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and a land that is not filled with water. And truly, fire never says, ‘Enough.’ (Sheol h7585)
17 “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.
The eye of one who mocks his father and who despises the childbearing of his mother, let the ravens of the torrent tear it out, and let the sons of the eagles consume it.
18 “There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
Three things are difficult for me, and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:
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 maiden.
the way of an eagle in the sky, 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 in adolescence.
20 “So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, who eats, and wiping her mouth, says: “I have done no evil.”
21 “For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
By three things, the earth is moved, and a fourth it is not able to sustain:
22 For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
by a slave when he reigns, by the foolish when he has been filled with food,
23 for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
by a hateful woman when she has been taken in matrimony, and by a handmaid when she has been heir to her mistress.
24 “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
the ants, an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,
26 The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
the rabbit, a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.
27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
The locust has no king, but they all depart by their troops.
28 You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
The lizard supports itself on hands and dwells in the buildings of kings.
29 “There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
There are three things that advance well, and a fourth that marches happily on:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,
31 the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
a rooster prepared at the loins, likewise a ram, and a king, whom none can resist.
32 “If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
There is one who has appeared foolish, after he was lifted up on high; for if he had understood, he would have placed his hand over his mouth.
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”
But whoever strongly squeezes the udder to bring out the milk, presses out butter. And whoever violently blows his nose, brings out blood. And whoever provokes wrath, brings forth discord.”
