Proverbs 30
30
1#Scholars are divided on the original literary unit. Is it vv. 1–3, 1–4, 1–5, or 1–6? The unit is probably vv. 1–6, for a single contrast dominates: human fragility (and ignorance) and divine power (and knowledge). A similar contrast is found in Jb 28; Ps 73; Is 49:1–4. The language of self-abasement is hyperbolic; cf. 2 Sm 9:8; Ps 73:21–22; Jb 25:4–6. Agur: an unknown person. Massaite: from Massa in northern Arabia, elsewhere referred to as an encampment of the Ishmaelites (Gn 25:14). But Heb. massa may not be intended as a place name; it might signify “an oracle,” “a prophecy,” as in Is 15:1; 17:1; etc. The words of Agur, son of Jakeh the Massaite:
The pronouncement of mortal man: “I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and I am exhausted.
2I am more brute than human being,
without even human intelligence;
3#Agur denies he has secret heavenly knowledge. The purpose of the denial is to underline that God directly gives wisdom to those whose conduct pleases him. Neither have I learned wisdom,
nor have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
4Who has gone up to heaven and come down again—
who has cupped the wind in the hollow of the hand?
Who has bound up the waters in a cloak—
who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is that person’s name, or the name of his son?”#The Hebrew text has the phrase “do you know?” at the end of v. 4, which is supported by the versions. The phrase, however, does not appear in the important Greek manuscripts Vaticanus and Sinaiticus and spoils the sense, for Agur, not God, is the questioner. The phrase seems to be an addition to the Hebrew text, borrowed from Job 38:5, where it also follows a cosmic question.
5#Verse 5, like the confession of the king in Ps 18:31 (and its parallel, 2 Sm 22:31), expresses total confidence in the one who rescues from death. Agur has refused a word from any other except God and makes an act of trust in God. Every word of God is tested;#Ps 12:7; 18:31.
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6Add nothing to his words,#Dt 4:2; 13:1.
lest he reprimand you, and you be proved a liar.
7#A prayer against lying words and for sufficiency of goods, lest reaction to riches or destitution lead to offenses against God. Two things I ask of you,
do not deny them to me before I die:
8Put falsehood and lying far from me,
give me neither poverty nor riches;
provide me only with the food I need;
9Lest, being full, I deny you,
saying, “Who is the Lord?”
Or, being in want, I steal,
and profane the name of my God.
10Do not criticize servants to their master,
lest they curse you, and you have to pay the penalty.
11#Perverted people are here classified as unfilial (v. 11), self-righteous (v. 12), proud (v. 13) and rapacious (v. 14). There are some who curse their fathers,
and do not bless their mothers.#Prv 20:20.
12There are some pure in their own eyes,
yet not cleansed of their filth.
13There are some—how haughty their eyes!
how overbearing their glance!
14There are some—their teeth are swords,
their teeth are knives,
Devouring the needy from the earth,
and the poor from the human race.
15#Here begins a series of numerical sayings; the pattern is n, n + 1. The slight variation in number (two and three, three and four) is an example of parallelism applied to numbers. The poetic technique is attested even outside the Bible. Two daughters: “Give,” and “Give”: the text is obscure; as the leech (a bloodsucking worm) is insatiable in its desire for blood (v. 15), so are the nether world for victims, the barren womb for offspring, the earth for water, and fire for fuel (v. 16). Sheol: here not so much the place of the dead as a force (death) that eventually draws all the living into it; cf. 27:20; Is 5:14; Hb 2:5. Land…fire: land (especially the dry land of Palestine) always absorbs more water; fire always requires more fuel. The leech has two daughters:
“Give,” and “Give.”
Three things never get their fill,
four never say, “Enough!”
16Sheol, a barren womb,#Prv 27:20.
land that never gets its fill of water,
and fire, which never says, “Enough!”
17The eye that mocks a father,
or scorns the homage due a mother,
Will be plucked out by brook ravens;
devoured by a brood of vultures.
18#The soaring flight of the eagle, the mysterious movement upon a rock of the serpent which has no feet, the path of the ship through the trackless deep, and the marvelous attraction between the sexes; there is a mysterious way common to them all. Three things are too wonderful for me,
yes, four I cannot understand:
19The way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a serpent upon a rock,
The way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a woman.
20This is the way of an adulterous woman:
she eats, wipes her mouth,
and says, “I have done no wrong.”#This verse portrays the indifference of an adulterous woman who casually dismisses her guilt because it cannot be traced.
21#Shaking heavens are part of general cosmic upheaval in Is 14:16; Jl 2:10; Am 8:8; Jb 9:6. Disturbances in nature mirror the disturbance of unworthy people attaining what they do not deserve. Glutted with food: someone unworthy ends up with the fulfillment that befits a wise person. Unloved woman: an older woman who, contrary to expectation, finds a husband. Under three things the earth trembles,
yes, under four it cannot bear up:
22Under a slave who becomes king,
and a fool who is glutted with food;#Prv 19:10; Eccl 10:6–7.
23Under an unloved woman who is wed,
and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.
24#The creatures may be small, but they are wise in knowing how to govern themselves—the definition of wisdom. Badgers: the rock badger is able to live on rocky heights that provide security from its enemies. Locusts: though vulnerable individually their huge swarms are impossible to deflect. Four things are among the smallest on the earth,
and yet are exceedingly wise:
25Ants—a species not strong,
yet they store up their food in the summer;
26Badgers—a species not mighty,
yet they make their home in the crags;
27Locusts—they have no king,
yet they march forth in formation;
28Lizards—you can catch them with your hands,
yet they find their way into kings’ palaces.
29#Four beings with an imperiousness visible in their walk. Only the lion is described in detail; the reader is expected to transpose its qualities to the others. Three things are stately in their stride,
yes, four are stately in their carriage:
30The lion, mightiest of beasts,
retreats before nothing;
31The strutting cock, and the he-goat,
and the king at the head of his people.
32#The same Hebrew verb, “to churn, shake,” is applied to milk, the nose (sometimes a symbol of anger), and wrath. In each case something is eventually produced by the constant agitation. The wise make peace and avoid strife, for strife eventually harms those who provoke it. If you have foolishly been proud
or presumptuous—put your hand on your mouth;
33For as the churning of milk produces curds,
and the pressing of the nose produces blood,
the churning of anger produces strife.
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Proverbs 30: NABRE
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Proverbs 30
30
The Observations of Agur
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy.
The man spake unto Ith´i-el,
even unto Ith´i-el 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 horseleech 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 a 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;
31a greyhound; a 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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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.