Proverbs 30
30
The Words of Agur
1These are the solemn words of Agur son of Jakeh:
“God is not with me, God is not with me,
and I am helpless.#30.1 Probable text “God… helpless; Hebrew unclear.
2I am more like an animal than a human being;
I do not have the sense a human being should have.
3I have never learned any wisdom,
and I know nothing at all about God.
4Who has ever mastered heavenly knowledge?
Who has ever caught the wind in his hand?
Or wrapped up water in a piece of cloth?
Or fixed the boundaries of the earth?
Who is he, if you know? Who is his son?
5“God keeps every promise he makes. He is like a shield for all who seek his protection. 6If you claim that he said something that he never said, he will reprimand you and show that you are a liar.”
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7I ask you, God, to let me have two things before I die: 8keep me from lying, and let me be neither rich nor poor. So give me only as much food as I need. 9If I have more, I might say that I do not need you. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God.
10Never criticize servants to their master. You will be cursed and suffer for it.
11There are people who curse their fathers and do not show their appreciation for their mothers.
12There are people who think they are pure when they are as filthy as they can be.
13There are people who think they are so good — oh, how good they think they are!
14There are people who take cruel advantage of the poor and needy; that is the way they make their living.
15A leech has two daughters, and both are named “Give me!”
There are four things that are never satisfied:
16the world of the dead,
a woman without children,
dry ground that needs rain,
and a fire burning out of control.
17Those who make fun of their father or despise their mother in her old age#30.17 One ancient translation mother in her old age; Hebrew mother's obedience. ought to be eaten by vultures or have their eyes picked out by wild ravens.
18There are four things that are too mysterious for me to understand:
19an eagle flying in the sky,
a snake moving on a rock,
a ship finding its way over the sea,
and a man and a woman falling in love.
20This is how an unfaithful wife acts: she commits adultery, has a bath, and says, “But I haven't done anything wrong!”
21There are four things that the earth itself cannot tolerate:
22a slave who becomes a king,
a fool who has all he wants to eat,
23a hateful woman who gets married,
and a servant woman who takes the place of her mistress.
24There are four animals in the world that are small, but very, very clever:
25Ants: they are weak, but they store up their food in the summer.
26Rock-badgers: they are not strong either, but they make their homes among the rocks.
27Locusts: they have no king, but they move in formation.
28Lizards: you can hold one in your hand, but you can find them in palaces.
29There are four things that are impressive to watch as they walk:
30lions, strongest of all animals and afraid of none;
31goats,
strutting cocks,
and kings in front of their people.#30.31 Verse 31 in Hebrew is unclear.
32If you have been foolish enough to be arrogant and plan evil, stop and think! 33If you churn milk, you get butter. If you hit someone's nose, it bleeds. If you stir up anger, you get into trouble.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Proverbs 30
30
The Wisdom of Agur
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:
2#Ps. 73:22; Prov. 12:1Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man.
3I neither learned wisdom
Nor have #(Prov. 9:10)knowledge of the Holy One.
4#(Ps. 68:18; John 3:13)Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
#Job 38:4; Ps. 104:3; Is. 40:12Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound 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,
If you know?
5#Ps. 12:6; 19:8; 119:140Every word of God is pure;
#Ps. 18:30; 84:11; 115:9–11He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6#Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Rev. 22:18Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
#Job 23:12; Matt. 6:11; (Phil. 4:19)Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9#Deut. 8:12–14; Neh. 9:25, 26; Hos. 13:6Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.
10Do not malign a servant to his master,
Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
11There is a generation that curses its #Ex. 21:17; Prov. 20:20father,
And does not bless its mother.
12There is a generation #(Prov. 16:2); Is. 65:5; Luke 18:11; (Titus 1:15, 16)that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13There is a generation—oh, how #Ps. 131:1; Prov. 6:17; Is. 2:11; 5:15lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
14#Job 29:17; Ps. 52:2There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
#Ps. 14:4; Amos 8:4To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men.
15The leech has two daughters—
Give and Give!
There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four never say, “Enough!”:
16#Prov. 27:20; Hab. 2:5The grave,
The barren womb,
The earth that is not satisfied with water—
And the fire never says, “Enough!”
17#Gen. 9:22; Lev. 20:9; Prov. 20:20The eye that mocks his father,
And scorns obedience to his mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.
18There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yes, four which I do not understand:
19The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.
20This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wickedness.”
21For three things the earth is perturbed,
Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
22#Prov. 19:10; Eccl. 10:7For a servant when he reigns,
A fool when he is filled with food,
23A hateful woman when she is married,
And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
24There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25#Prov. 6:6The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26#Lev. 11:5; Ps. 104:18The rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
27The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
28The spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.
29There are three things which are majestic in pace,
Yes, four which are stately in walk:
30A lion, which is mighty among beasts
And does not turn away from any;
31A greyhound,
A male goat also,
And a king whose troops are with him.
32If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
Or if you have devised evil, #Job 21:5; 40:4; Mic. 7:16put your hand on your mouth.
33For as the churning of milk produces butter,
And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.