Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur, son of Jakeh, [even] the oracle, —The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for Ithiel and Ucal.

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Surely, more brutish, am, I, than any man, nor doth, the understanding of a son of earth, pertain to me;

Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man:

3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.

And I have not learned wisdom, neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who hath ascended the heavens and then descended? Who hath gathered the wind into his two hands? Who hath wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who hath set up all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what the name of his son, when thou knowest?

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 saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge in him.

Every word of God is tried: he is a shield unto them that trust in him.

6 Do not add unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou be found false.

Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

7 Two things, have I asked of thee, withhold them not from me, ere yet I die:

Two things have I asked of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:

8 Vanity and falsehood, remove far from me, Neither poverty nor riches, give me, Feed me with the food appointed me:

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me:

9 Lest I be full, and deny, and say—Who is Yahweh? or lest I be impoverished and steal, and do violence to the Name of my God.

Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and use profanely the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he revile thee, and thou be found guilty.

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

11 A generation! Its father, it revileth, and, its mother, it doth not bless.

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

12 A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes; and [yet] are not washed from their filthiness.

13 A generation! How lofty are its eyes, and its eyelashes uplifted.

There is a generation, Oh how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

14 A generation! Swords, are its teeth, and, knives, its incisors, —to devour the humbled out of the earth, and the needy, from among men.

There is a generation whose teeth are [as] swords, and their jaw teeth [as] knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

15 The vampire, hath two daughters, Give! Give! Three, there are will not be satisfied, four, have not said, Enough!

The horseleach hath two daughters, [Crying], Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, [yea], four that say not, Enough:

16 Hades, and barrenness, —A land not satisfied with water, and fire, that saith not, 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 The eye that mocketh a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young of the eagle shall eat it.

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 eagles shall eat it.

18 Three, things there are, too difficult for me, yea, four, which I do not understand:

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

19 The way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent on the rock, —the way of a ship in the heart of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.

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 maid.

20 So, is the way of a woman committing adultery, —she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no iniquity!

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

21 Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she cannot bear up:

For three things the earth doth tremble, and for four, [which] it cannot bear:

22 Under a servant, when he reigneth, and a base man, when he is surfeited with food;

For a servant when he is king; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

23 Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.

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

24 Four, things there are, the small of the earth, —yet, they, are wiser than the wise:

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

25 The ants, a people, not strong, —yet prepare they, in summer, their food;

The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their meat in the summer;

26 The conies, a people of, no power, yet set they, among the crags, their house;

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

27 King, is there none, to, the locusts, —yet go forth in swarms, do they all;

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

28 The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold, —yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.

The lizard taketh hold with her hands, yet is she in kings’ palaces,

29 Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:

There be three things which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:

30 The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;

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

31 The greyhound, or the he-goat, —and a king, having a band of soldiers with him.

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

32 If thou hast acted basely by lifting thyself up, —if thou hast plotted evil, [put thy] hand to [thy] mouth!

If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth.

33 Surely, the pressing of milk, bringeth forth curd, and, the pressing of the nose, bringeth forth blood, and, the pressing of wrath, bringeth forth strife.

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