Proverbs 30
30
Words of Agur
1The words of Agur, Jakeh’s son, from Massa.
The man declares: I’m tired, God;
I’m tired, God, and I’m exhausted.
2Actually, I’m too stupid to be human,
a man without understanding.
3I haven’t learned wisdom,
nor do I have knowledge of the holy one.
4Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind by the handful?
Who has bound up the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is this person’s name and the name of this person’s child—
if you know it?
5All God’s words are tried and true;
a shield for those who take refuge in him.
6Don’t add to his words,
or he will correct you and show you to be a liar.
7Two things I ask of you;
don’t keep them from me before I die:
8Fraud and lies—
keep far from me!
Don’t give me either poverty or wealth;
give me just the food I need.
9Or I’ll be full and deny you,
and say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or I’ll be poor and steal,
and dishonor my God’s name.
More sayings of the wise
10Don’t slander a servant to his master;
otherwise, the servant will curse you, and you will be guilty.
11There are those who curse their father
and don’t bless their mother.
12There are those who think they are clean,
but haven’t washed off their own excrement.
13There are those—
how arrogant are their eyes;
how their eyebrows are raised!
14There are those whose teeth are swords;
their jaw is a butcher’s knife,
ready to devour the needy from the earth,
and the poor from humanity.
15The leech has two daughters: “Give, give!”
There are three things that are never satisfied,
four that never say, “Enough!”:
16the grave#30.16 Heb Sheol and a barren womb,
a land never filled with water,
and fire that doesn’t say, “Enough!”
17An eye that mocks a father
and rejects obedience to a mother,
may the ravens of the river valley peck it out,
and the eagle’s young eat it.
18Three things are too wonderful for me,
four that I can’t figure out:
19the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on the rock,
the way of a ship out on the open sea,
and the way of a man with a young woman.
20This is the way of an adulterous woman:
she eats and wipes her mouth,
and she says, “I’ve done nothing wrong!”
21At three things the earth trembles,
at four it can’t bear up:
22at a servant when he becomes king
and fools when they are full of food;
23at a detested woman when she gets married
and a female servant when she replaces her mistress.
24Four things are among the smallest on earth,
but they are extremely wise:
25Ants as creatures aren’t strong,
but they store away their food in the summer.
26Badgers as creatures aren’t powerful,
but they make their homes in the rocks.
27Locusts don’t have a king,
but they march together in ranks.
28You can catch lizards in your hand,
but they are in kings’ palaces.
29There are three things that are excellent in their stride,
four that are excellent as they walk:
30a lion, a warrior among beasts,
which doesn’t back down at anything;
31the strut of a rooster or a male goat;
and a king with his army.
32If you’ve been foolish and arrogant,
if you’ve been scheming,
put your hand to your mouth,
33because churning milk makes curds,
squeezing the nose brings blood,
and stirring up anger produces strife.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 30: CEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 30
30
The Sayings of Agur
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle.
The man declares to Ithiel,
to Ithiel and Ukal:
2#Ps 73:22 Surely I am more brutish than any man,
and have not the understanding of a man.
3#Pr 9:10 I neither learned wisdom,
nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4#Jn 3:13; Job 26:8; Ps 2:7 Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended?
Who 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 the name of His son,
if you know?
5#Ps 12:6; 18:30 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6#Dt 4:2; 12:32 Do not add to His words,
lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar.
7Two things I have required of you;
do not deny me them before I die:
8#Mt 6:11; Lk 11:3 Remove vanity and lies far from me—
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with food convenient for me;
9#Ex 20:7; Dt 31:20 lest I be full, and deny You,
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor, and steal,
and take the name of my God in vain.
10Do not accuse a servant to his master,
lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
11#Pr 20:20; 30:17 There is a generation that curses their father,
and does not bless its mother.
12#Lk 18:11; Pr 16:2 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
and yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13#Pr 6:17; Ps 101:5 There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
14#Job 29:17; Ps 14:4 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#Pr 6:16; 30:21 The leech has two daughters,
crying, “Give, give.”
There are three things that are never satisfied,
indeed, four things never say, “It is enough”:
16#Pr 27:20; Hab 2:5 the grave, the barren womb,
the earth that is not filled with water,
and the fire that never says, “It is enough.”
17#Pr 23:22; Dt 21:18–21 The eye that mocks at his father,
and despises to obey his mother,
the ravens of the valley will pick it out,
and the young eagles will eat it.
18#Job 42:3 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
indeed, four which I do not know:
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 maid.
20Such 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 disquieted,
and for four which it cannot bear:
22#Pr 19:10; Ecc 10:7 for a servant when he reigns,
and a fool when he is filled with food,
23for a hateful woman when she is married,
and a handmaid who is heir to her mistress.
24There are four things which are little upon the earth,
but they are exceeding wise:
25#Pr 6:6–8 The ants are a people not strong,
yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26#Ps 104:18; Lev 11:5 the badgers are but a feeble folk,
yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27#Joel 2:25 the locusts have no king,
yet they go forth all of them by bands;
28the spider takes hold with her hands,
and is in kings’ palaces.
29There are three things which go well,
indeed, four are comely in going:
30#Jdg 14:18 a lion which is strongest among beasts,
and does not turn away for any;
31a strutting rooster, a male goat also,
and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32#Job 21:5; 40:4 If you have been foolish in lifting up yourself,
or if you have thought evil,
put your hand on your mouth.
33#Pr 29:22 Surely the churning of milk brings forth butter,
and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood,
so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Military Bible Association