Proverbs 30
30
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal: 2Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence. 3I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy. 4Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest? 5Every word of +God#GodHebrew: Eloah 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 do I ask 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 the bread of my daily need: 9lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God#GodHebrew: Elohim
10Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty. 11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother; 12there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness; 13there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up! 14— a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three things never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough: 16— Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. 17The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18There are three things too wonderful for me, and four that I know not: 19The way of an eagle in the heavens, 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. 21Under three things the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up: 22Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat; 23under an odious woman when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
24There are four things little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise: 25The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; 26the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff; 27the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands; 28thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
29There are three things which have a stately step, and four are comely in going: 30The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any; 31a horse girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up. 32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay the hand upon thy mouth. 33For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Proverbs 30
30
The Sayings of Agur
1The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message.#30:1a Or son of Jakeh from Massa; or son of Jakeh, an oracle.
I am weary, O God;
I am weary and worn out, O God.#30:1b The Hebrew can also be translated The man declares this to Ithiel, / to Ithiel and to Ucal.
2I am too stupid to be human,
and I lack common sense.
3I have not mastered human wisdom,
nor do I know the Holy One.
4Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?
Who holds the wind in his fists?
Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?
Who has created the whole wide world?
What is his name—and his son’s name?
Tell me if you know!
5Every word of God proves true.
He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
6Do not add to his words,
or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
7O God, I beg two favors from you;
let me have them before I die.
8First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
9For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
10Never slander a worker to the employer,
or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11Some people curse their father
and do not thank their mother.
12They are pure in their own eyes,
but they are filthy and unwashed.
13They look proudly around,
casting disdainful glances.
14They have teeth like swords
and fangs like knives.
They devour the poor from the earth
and the needy from among humanity.
15The leech has two suckers
that cry out, “More, more!”#30:15 Hebrew two daughters who cry out, “Give, give!”
There are three things that are never satisfied—
no, four that never say, “Enough!”:
16the grave,#30:16 Hebrew Sheol.
the barren womb,
the thirsty desert,
the blazing fire.
17The eye that mocks a father
and despises a mother’s instructions
will be plucked out by ravens of the valley
and eaten by vultures.
18There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
19how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman.
20An adulterous woman consumes a man,
then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?”
21There are three things that make the earth tremble—
no, four it cannot endure:
22a slave who becomes a king,
an overbearing fool who prospers,
23a bitter woman who finally gets a husband,
a servant girl who supplants her mistress.
24There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
25Ants—they aren’t strong,
but they store up food all summer.
26Hyraxes#30:26 Or Coneys, or Rock badgers.—they aren’t powerful,
but they make their homes among the rocks.
27Locusts—they have no king,
but they march in formation.
28Lizards—they are easy to catch,
but they are found even in kings’ palaces.
29There are three things that walk with stately stride—
no, four that strut about:
30the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,
31the strutting rooster,
the male goat,
a king as he leads his army.
32If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil,
cover your mouth in shame.
33As the beating of cream yields butter
and striking the nose causes bleeding,
so stirring up anger causes quarrels.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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