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, even his prophecy; the inspired utterance of the man to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal.
2 I'm so stupid I'm not really a man; I can't even think like a human being.
Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom; I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most Holy.
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 gone up into heaven and come down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound up the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what 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 pure; A shield is he to them that put their trust 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 not to his words, Lest he rebuke 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 do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from 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 falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food which is needful for me;
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 thee, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor, and steal, And violate 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.
Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
11 There are some who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
There is a class of men that curse their fathers, And do not bless their mothers.
12 There are some who see themselves as pure but they're still filthy—they have not been washed.
There is a class who 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 class, —O how lofty are their eyes, And how are their eyelids 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 class, whose teeth are swords, And their jaw-teeth 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 vampire hath two daughters; “Give! give!” [[is their cry.]] There are three things which are never satisfied; Yea, four which 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 underworld, and the barren womb; The earth, which is not satiated with water, And fire, which never saith, “It is 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 a father, And scorneth to obey a mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.
18 These three things are amazingly hard for me, four things I just can't understand:
These three things are too wonderful for me; Yea, there are four which I understand 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 track of an eagle in the air, The track of a serpent upon a rock, The track of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the track of a man with a maid.
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 of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 Three things make the earth tremble, there are four things it can't support:
Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22 a slave becoming a king, a stupid person eating like a pig,
Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
23 an unbearable woman getting married, and a maidservant taking her mistress's place.
Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
24 There are four things on earth that are small, but very wise:
There are four things which are small upon the earth, Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom.
25 Ants—they're not strong, but they work hard all summer storing up food.
The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
26 Hyraxes—they don't have much power, but they make their homes in the rock.
The conies are a feeble people, Yet do 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, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
28 Lizards—you can catch them in your hands, but they live in the king's palace.
The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29 There are three things that are glorious to watch as they walk, four that look dignified as they move:
These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30 The lion, supreme among wild animals, who isn't frightened of anything.
The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31 The strutting starling, the male goat, and a king with his army.
The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
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 been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on thy mouth!
33 Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger causes arguments.
For, as the pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese, And as the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood, So the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
