Proverbs 30
30
1The words of Agur son of Jakeh of Massa.#30.1 Or the oracle
The man says to Ithi-el,
to Ithi-el and Ucal:#30.1 The Hebrew of this verse is obscure
2Surely I am too stupid to be a man.
I have not the understanding of a man.
3I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
4Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son's name?
Surely you know!
5Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7Two things I ask of thee;
deny them not to me before I die:
8Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9lest I be full, and deny thee,
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor, and steal,
and profane the name of my God.
10Do not slander a servant to his master,
lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
11There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers.
12There are those who are pure in their own eyes
but are not cleansed of their filth.
13There are those—how lofty are their eyes,
how high their eyelids lift!
14There are those whose teeth are swords,
whose teeth are knives,
to devour the poor from off the earth,
the needy from among men.
15The leech#30.15 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain has two daughters;
“Give, give,” they cry.
Three things are never satisfied;
four never say, “Enough”:
16Sheol, the barren womb,
the earth ever thirsty for water,
and the fire which never says, “Enough.”#30.16 Heb obscure
17The eye that mocks a father
and scorns to obey a mother
will be picked out by the ravens of the valley
and eaten by the vultures.
18Three things are too wonderful for me;
four I do not understand:
19the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a serpent on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a maiden.
20This is the way of an adulteress:
she eats, and wipes her mouth,
and says, “I have done no wrong.”
21Under three things the earth trembles;
under four it cannot bear up:
22a slave when he becomes king,
and a fool when he is filled with food;
23an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
24Four things on earth are small,
but they are exceedingly wise:
25the ants are a people not strong,
yet they provide their food in the summer;
26the badgers are a people not mighty,
yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27the locusts have no king,
yet all of them march in rank;
28the lizard you can take in your hands,
yet it is in kings' palaces.
29Three things are stately in their tread;
four are stately in their stride:
30the lion, which is mightiest among beasts
and does not turn back before any;
31the strutting cock,#30.31 Gk Syr Tg Compare Vg: Heb obscure the he-goat,
and a king striding before#30.31 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain his people.
32If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
or if you have been devising evil,
put your hand on your mouth.
33For pressing milk produces curds,
pressing the nose produces blood,
and pressing anger produces strife.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Proverbs 30
30
1The words of Agur, son of Jakeh. Agur’s prophetic revelation.
Agur Speaks about God
[ TO GOD ]
This man’s declaration:
“I’m weary, O God.
I’m weary and worn out, O God.
2I’m more ⌞like⌟ a dumb animal than a human being.
I don’t ⌞even⌟ have human understanding.
3I haven’t learned wisdom.
I don’t have knowledge of the Holy One.#30:3 Or “holy ones.”
[ TO THE AUDIENCE ]
4“Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand?
Who has wrapped water in a garment?
Who has set up the earth from one end to the other?
What is his name or the name of his son?
Certainly, you must know!
5“All of God’s word has proven to be true.
He is a shield to those who come to him for protection.
6Do not add to his words,
or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar.
A Prayer
[ TO GOD]
7“I’ve asked you for two things.
Don’t keep them from me before I die:
8Keep vanity and lies far away from me.
Don’t give me either poverty or riches.
Feed me ⌞only⌟ the food I need,
9or I may feel satisfied and deny you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
or I may become poor and steal
and give the name of my God a bad reputation.
Against Slander
[ TO THE AUDIENCE]
10“Do not slander a slave to his master.
The slave will curse you,
and you will be found guilty.”
Four Kinds of People
11A certain kind of person curses his father
and does not bless his mother.
12A certain kind of person thinks he is pure
but is not washed from his own feces.#30:12 Blunt Hebrew term but not considered vulgar.
13A certain kind of person looks around arrogantly
and is conceited.
14A certain kind of person,
whose teeth are like swords
and whose jaws are ⌞like⌟ knives,
devours oppressed people from the earth
and people from among humanity.
Human Bloodsuckers
15The bloodsucking leech has two daughters—“Give!” and “Give!”
Four Things That Are Never Satisfied
Three things are never satisfied.
Four never say, “Enough!”:
16the grave,
a barren womb,
a land that never gets enough water,
a fire that does not say, “Enough!”
Disrespectful Children—Their Punishment
17The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a mother
will be plucked out by ravens in the valley and eaten by young vultures.
Four Things of Intrigue
18Three things are too amazing to me,
even four that I cannot understand:
19an eagle making its way through the sky,
a snake making its way over a rock,
a ship making its way through high seas,
a man making his way with a virgin.
About the Woman Who Commits Adultery
20This is the way of a woman who commits adultery:
She eats, wipes her mouth,
and says, “I haven’t done anything wrong!”
Four Things That Are Intolerable
21Three things cause the earth to tremble,
even four it cannot bear up under:
22a slave when he becomes king,
a godless fool when he is filled with food,
23a woman who is unloved when she gets married,
a maid when she replaces her mistress.
Four Things That Are Small—Yet Smart and Strong
24Four things on earth are small,
yet they are very wise:
25Ants are not a strong species,
yet they store their food in summer.
26Rock badgers are not a mighty species,
yet they make their home in the rocks.
27Locusts have no king,
yet all of them divide into swarms by instinct.
28A lizard you can hold in your hands,
yet it can even be found in royal palaces.
Four Things That Move with Dignity
29There are three things that walk with dignity,
even four that march with dignity:
30a lion, mightiest among animals, which turns away from nothing,
31a strutting rooster,
a male goat,
a king at the head of his army.
Keep Calm and Quiet
32If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself,
or if you scheme,
you had better put your hand over your mouth.
33As churning milk produces butter
and punching a nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger #30:33 In Hebrew there is a play on words in verse 33 where the same verb is used to express all three actions. produces a fight.
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