Proverbs 30
30
1The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:
2I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.
4Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?
5Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.
6Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar:
7Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.
8Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:
9Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.
10Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.
11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.
14A generation, that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor from among men.
15The horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.
16Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough.
17The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.
18Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.
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 in youth.
20Such is also the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.
21By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:
22By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:
23By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.
24There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:
26The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:
27The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands.
28The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings' houses.
29There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:
30A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
31A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.
32There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.
33And he that strongly squeezeth the papa to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath bringeth forth strife.
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An historical text 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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