Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
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.
2 “Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
I'm so stupid I'm not really a man; I can't even think like a human being.
3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
I have not learned wisdom; I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?
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?
5 “Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Every word God says has been proved true. He defends everyone who comes to him for protection.
6 Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Don't add anything to his words, or he will criticize you and you'll be shown to be a liar.
7 “Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.
God, I want to request two things from you. Please don't refuse to let me have them before I come to die.
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
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.
9 lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
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.
10 “Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
Don't slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you and you'll suffer for it.
11 There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
There are some who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
There are some who see themselves as pure but they're still filthy—they have not been washed.
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
There are some who think themselves so high and mighty, and who look down on others.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.
There are some who have teeth like swords, incisors like knives, ready to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from society.
15 “The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
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!”:
16 Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
The grave, the womb that doesn't become pregnant, the earth thirsty for water, and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
17 “The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.
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.
18 “There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
These three things are amazingly hard for me, four things I just can't understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air, 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 with a maiden.
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.
20 “So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
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!”
21 “For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
Three things make the earth tremble, there are four things it can't support:
22 For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
a slave becoming a king, a stupid person eating like a pig,
23 for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
an unbearable woman getting married, and a maidservant taking her mistress's place.
24 “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
There are four things on earth that are small, but very wise:
25 The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
Ants—they're not strong, but they work hard all summer storing up food.
26 The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
Hyraxes—they don't have much power, but they make their homes in the rock.
27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
Locusts—they don't have a king, but they all march in line abreast.
28 You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
Lizards—you can catch them in your hands, but they live in the king's palace.
29 “There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
There are three things that are glorious to watch as they walk, four that look dignified as they move:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
The lion, supreme among wild animals, who isn't frightened of anything.
31 the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
The strutting starling, the male goat, and a king with his army.
32 “If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
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.
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”
Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger causes arguments.
