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, 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:

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

For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man:

3 I have not learned wisdom; I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the 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 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?

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 breastplate to those who put their faith in him.

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

Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.

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

I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:

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 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:

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 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.

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

Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.

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

There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to 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 who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.

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

There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are 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 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.

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 night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which 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)

The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which 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 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.

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

There are three things, the wonder of which overcomes me, even four things outside my knowledge:

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 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.

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 a false wife; she takes food, and, cleaning her mouth, says, I have done no wrong.

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

For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:

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

A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;

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

A hated woman when she is married; and a servant-girl who takes the place of her master's wife.

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

There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are very wise:

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

The ants are a people not strong, but they put by a store of food in the summer;

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

The conies are only a feeble people, but they make their houses in the rocks;

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

The locusts have no king, but they all go out in bands;

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

You may take the lizard in your hands, but it is in kings' houses.

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

There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:

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

The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;

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

The war-horse, and the he-goat, and the king when his army is with 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 done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, 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.

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.