Proverbs 30
30
Wise Sayings of Agur Son of Jakeh
1These are the wise sayings of Agur son of Jakeh from Massa. He says, “God, I am tired, so tired. How can I keep going?”#30:1 He says, “God, … keep going?” Or “This is his message to Ithiel and Ucal.”
2I am stupid. I am not as smart as other people are. 3I have not learned to be wise. I know nothing about the Holy One.#30:3 Holy One Literally, “the holy ones.” 4Who has ever gone up to heaven and come back down? Who gathered the winds in his hand? Who can gather up all the water in his lap? Who set the limits for the world? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Do you know?
5You can trust this: Every word that God speaks is true. God is a safe place for those who go to him. 6So don’t try to change what God says. If you do, he will punish you and prove that you are a liar.
7God, I ask you to do two things for me before I die. 8Don’t let me tell lies. And don’t make me too rich or too poor—give me only enough food for each day. 9If I have too much, I might deny that I need you, Lord. But if I am too poor, I might steal and bring shame to the name of my God.
10Never say bad things about a slave to his master. If you do, he will curse you, and you will suffer for it.
11Some people curse their fathers and refuse to bless their mothers.
12Some people think they are pure, but they have done nothing to remove the filth of their sin.
13Some people are so proud of themselves, and they look down on everyone else.
14There are people whose teeth are like swords and their jaws like knives. They take everything they can from the poor.
15Greedy people know only two things#30:15 Literally, “A leech has two daughters.”: “Give me,” and “Give me.” There are three other things that are never satisfied—really, four things that never have enough: 16the place of death, a woman with no children, dry ground that needs rain, and a fire that will never stop by itself.
17People who make fun of their father or refuse to obey their mother should have their eyes plucked out by wild birds and be eaten by vultures.
18There are three things that are hard for me to understand—really, four things that I don’t understand: 19an eagle flying in the sky, a snake moving on a rock, a ship moving across the ocean, and a man in love with a woman.
20A woman who is not faithful to her husband acts innocent. She eats, wipes her mouth, and says she has done nothing wrong.
21There are three things that make trouble on the earth—really, four that the earth cannot bear: 22a slave who becomes a king, fools who have everything they need, 23a woman whose husband hated her but still married her, and a servant girl who becomes ruler over the woman she serves.
24There are four things on the earth that are small but very wise:
25Ants are small and weak, but they save their food all summer;
26badgers are small animals, but they make their homes in the rocks;
27locusts have no king, but they are able to work together;
28lizards are small enough to catch with your hands, but you can find them living in kings’ palaces.
29There are three things that act important when they walk—really, there are four:
30a lion—he is the warrior of the animals and runs from nothing,
31a rooster walking proudly,#30:31 a rooster walking proudly Or possibly, “a greyhound” or “a war horse.”
a goat,
and a king among his people.
32If you have been foolish enough to become proud and make plans against other people, stop and think about what you are doing.
33Stirring milk causes butter to form. Hitting someone’s nose causes blood to flow. And making people angry causes trouble.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Proverbs 30
30
Words of Agur
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy:
The man spake unto Ithiel,
even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2Surely I am more brutish than any man,
And have not the understanding of a man.
3I neither learned wisdom,
Nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?
Who hath gathered the wind in his fists?
Who hath bound the waters in a garment?
Who hath established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son's name,
If thou canst tell?
5Every word of God is pure:
He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6Add thou not unto his words,
Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7Two things have I required of thee;
Deny me them not before I die:
8Remove far from me vanity and lies:
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with food convenient for me:
9Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say,
Who is the LORD?
Or lest I be poor, and steal,
And take the name of my God in vain.
10Accuse not a servant unto his master,
Lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father,
And doth not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes,
And yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
14 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.
15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give.
There are three things that are never satisfied,
Yea, four things say not,
It is enough:
16The grave; and the barren womb;
The earth that is not filled with water;
And the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17The eye that mocketh at his father,
And despiseth to obey his mother,
The ravens of the valley shall pick it out,
And the young eagles shall eat it.
18There be three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yea, four which I know not:
19The way of an eagle in the air;
The way of a serpent upon 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 eateth, and wipeth her mouth,
And saith, I have done no wickedness.
21For three things the earth is disquieted,
And for four which it cannot bear:
22For a servant when he reigneth;
And a fool when he is filled with meat;
23For an odious woman when she is married;
And an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24There be four things which are little upon the earth,
But they are exceeding wise:
25The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26The conies are but a feeble folk,
Yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27The locusts have no king,
Yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28The spider taketh hold with her hands,
And is in kings' palaces.
29There be three things which go well,
Yea, four are comely in going:
30A lion which is strongest among beasts,
And turneth not away for any;
31An greyhound; an he goat also;
And a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself,
Or if thou hast thought evil,
Lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter,
And the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood:
So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
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