Proverbs 30
30
The Sayings of Agur
1These sayings are the words of Agur, son of Jakeh. These sayings came from God.
This man said to Ithiel:
“I am weary, God.
But I can still have success.
2Surely I am only a dumb animal and not a man.
I don’t understand as other men do.
3I haven’t learned wisdom.
And I don’t know the things the Holy One knows.
4Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a coat?
Who has set in place all the boundaries of the earth?
What is his name? What is his son’s name?
Surely you know!
5“Every word of God is perfect.
He is like a shield to those who trust in him.
He keeps them safe.
6Don’t add to his words.
If you do, he will correct you.
He will prove that you are a liar.
7“Lord, I ask you for two things.
Don’t refuse me before I die.
8Keep lies far away from me.
Don’t make me either poor or rich,
but give me only the bread I need each day.
9If you don’t, I might have too much.
Then I might say I don’t know you.
I might say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I might become poor and steal.
Then I would bring shame to the name of my God.
10“Don’t tell lies about a servant when you talk to their master.
If you do, they will curse you, and you will pay for your lies.
11“Some people curse their fathers.
Others don’t bless their mothers.
12Some are pure in their own eyes.
But their dirty sins haven’t been washed away.
13Some have eyes that are very proud.
They look down on others.
14Some people have teeth like swords.
The teeth in their jaws are as sharp as knives.
They are ready to eat up the poor people of the earth.
They are ready to eat up those who are the most needy.
15“A leech has two daughters.
They cry out, ‘Give! Give!’
“Three things are never satisfied.
Four things never say, ‘Enough!’
16The first is the grave.
The second is a woman who can’t have a baby.
The third is land, which never gets enough water.
And the fourth is fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
17“One person makes fun of their father.
Another doesn’t honor their mother when she is old.
The ravens of the valley will peck out their eyes.
Then the vultures will eat them.
18“Three things are too amazing for me.
There are four things I don’t understand.
19The first is the way of an eagle in the sky.
The second is the way of a snake on a rock.
The third is the way of a ship on the ocean.
And the fourth is the way of a man with a young woman.
20“This is the way of a woman who commits adultery.
She eats and wipes her mouth.
Then she says, ‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’
21“Under three things the earth shakes.
Under four things it can’t stand up.
22The first is a servant who becomes a king.
The second is a foolish and ungodly person who gets plenty to eat.
23The third is a mean woman who gets married.
And the fourth is a servant who takes the place of the woman she works for.
24“Four things on earth are small.
But they are very wise.
25The first are ants, which aren’t very strong.
But they store up their food in the summer.
26The second are hyraxes, which aren’t very powerful.
But they make their home among the rocks.
27The third are locusts, which don’t have a king.
But they all march forward in ranks.
28And the fourth are lizards, which your hand can catch.
But you will find them in kings’ palaces.
29“Three things walk as if they were kings.
Four things move as kings do.
30The first is a lion, which is mighty among the animals. It doesn’t back away from anything.
31The second is a rooster, which walks proudly.
The third is a billy goat.
And the fourth is a king, who is secure against any who might oppose him.
32“Do you do foolish things?
Do you think you are better than others?
Do you plan evil?
If you do, put your hand over your mouth and stop talking!
33If you churn cream, you will produce butter.
If you twist a nose, you will produce blood.
And if you stir up anger, you will produce a fight.”
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 30: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Proverbs 30
30
1 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 am the most foolish among men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.
4 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 of God is fire-tested. He is a bronze shield to those who hope in him.
6 Do not add anything to his words, lest you be reproved and be discovered to be a liar.
7 Two things I have asked of you; do not deny them to me before I die.
8 Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words. Give me neither begging, nor wealth. Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,
9 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 Do not accuse a servant to his lord, lest he curse you, and you fall.
11 There is a generation which curses their father, and which does not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation which seems pure to themselves, and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated, and their eyelids are lifted on high.
14 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 say, 'Bring, bring.' Three things are insatiable, and a fourth never says 'Enough':
16 Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and a land that is not filled with water. And truly, fire never says, 'Enough.'
17 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 Three things are difficult for me, and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:
19 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 Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, who eats, and wiping her mouth, says: "I have done no evil."
21 By three things, the earth is moved, and a fourth it is not able to sustain:
22 by a slave when he reigns, by the foolish when he has been filled with food,
23 by a hateful woman when she has been taken in matrimony, and by a handmaid when she has been heir to her mistress.
24 Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 the ants, an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,
26 the rabbit, a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.
27 The locust has no king, but they all depart by their troops.
28 The lizard supports itself on hands and dwells in the buildings of kings.
29 There are three things that advance well, and a fourth that marches happily on:
30 a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,
31 a rooster prepared at the loins, likewise a ram, and a king, whom none can resist.
32 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 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."
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in