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; the burden. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto 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 brutish, unlike a man, and have not the understanding of a man;

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

And I have not learned wisdom, that I should 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 hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?

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

Every word of God is tried; He is a shield unto them that 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.

Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found 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 have I asked of Thee; deny me them not 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 falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with mine allotted bread;

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 I be full, and deny, and say: 'Who is the LORD?' Or lest I be poor, and 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.

Slander not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

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

There is a generation that curse their father, and do 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 are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not 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, Oh how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids 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 as swords, and their great teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy 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 horseleech hath two daughters: 'Give, give.' There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four that say not: '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 grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not: '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 mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young vultures shall eat it.

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

There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

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 serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst 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!”

So is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: 'I have done no wickedness.'

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

For three things the earth doth quake, and for four it cannot endure:

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

For a servant when he reigneth; and a churl when he is filled with food;

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

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

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

There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

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

The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide 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 but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the crags;

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

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

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

The spider thou canst take with the hands, yet is she 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 which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:

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

The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

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

The greyhound; the he-goat also; and the king, against whom there is no rising up.

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 thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast planned devices, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

33 Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger causes arguments.

For the churning of milk bringeth forth curd, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.