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 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 I'm so stupid I'm not really a man; I can't even think like a human being.
“I am the most foolish among men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 I have not learned wisdom; I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.
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 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 God says has been proved true. He defends everyone who comes to him for protection.
Every word of God is fire-tested. He is a bronze shield to those who hope 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 anything to his words, lest you be reproved and be discovered 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 have asked of you; do not deny them to 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.
Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words. Give me neither begging, nor wealth. Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,
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.
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, or he will curse you and you'll suffer for it.
Do not accuse a servant to his lord, lest he curse you, and you fall.
11 There are some who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
There is a generation which curses their father, and which 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 which seems pure to themselves, and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.
13 There are some who think themselves so high and mighty, and who look down on others.
There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated, and their eyelids are lifted on high.
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 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 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, who say, ‘Bring, bring.’ Three things are insatiable, and a fourth never says ‘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)
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 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 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 These three things are amazingly hard for me, four things I just can't understand:
Three things are difficult for me, and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:
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 serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man in adolescence.
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!”
Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, who eats, and wiping her mouth, says: “I have done no evil.”
21 Three things make the earth tremble, there are four things it can't support:
By three things, the earth is moved, and a fourth it is not able to sustain:
22 a slave becoming a king, a stupid person eating like a pig,
by a slave when he reigns, by the foolish when he has been filled with food,
23 an unbearable woman getting married, and a maidservant taking her mistress's place.
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 on earth that are small, but very wise:
Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 Ants—they're not strong, but they work hard all summer storing up food.
the ants, an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,
26 Hyraxes—they don't have much power, but they make their homes in the rock.
the rabbit, a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.
27 Locusts—they don't have a king, but they all march in line abreast.
The locust has no king, but they all depart by their troops.
28 Lizards—you can catch them in your hands, but they live in the king's palace.
The lizard supports itself on hands and dwells in the buildings of kings.
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 advance well, and a fourth that marches happily on:
30 The lion, supreme among wild animals, who isn't frightened of anything.
a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,
31 The strutting starling, the male goat, and a king with his army.
a rooster prepared at the loins, likewise a ram, and a king, whom none can resist.
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.
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 Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger causes arguments.
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.”
