Proverbs 30

The Words of Agur

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle.
The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man.

3 Neither have I learned wisdom,
Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name or His son's name?
Surely you know!

5 Every word of God is tested;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

6 Do not add to His words
Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

7 Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,

9 That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?"
Or that I not be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.

11 There is a tkind of man who curses his father
And does not bless his mother.

12 There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

13 There is a kind-oh how lofty are his eyes!
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.

14 There is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords
And his jaw teeth like knives,
To devour the afflicted from the earth
And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters,
"Give," "Give."
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, "Enough":

16 Sheol, and the barren womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, "Enough."

17 The eye that mocks a father
And scorns a mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:

19 The way of an eagle in the sky,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a maid.

20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, "I have done no wrong."

21 Under three things the earth quakes,
And under four, it cannot bear up:

22 Under a slave when he becomes king,
And a fool when he is satisfied with food,

23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

24 Four things are small on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:

25 The ants are not a strong people,
But they prepare their food in the summer;

26 The shephanim are not mighty people,
Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

27 The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in ranks;

28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
Yet it is in kings' palaces.

29 There are three things which are stately in their march,
Even four which are stately when they walk:

30 The lion which is mighty among beasts
And does not retreat before any,

31 The strutting rooster, the male goat also,
And a king when his army is with him.

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself
Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.

33 For the churning of milk produces butter,
And pressing the nose brings forth blood;
So the churning of anger produces strife.

Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; The oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, And have not the understanding of a man;

3 And I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou knowest?

5 Every word of God is tried: He is a shield unto them that take refuge in him.

6 Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

7 Two things have I asked of thee; Deny me them not before I die:

8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me:

9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God.

10 Slander not a servant unto his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.

11 There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother.

12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.

13 There is a generation, oh 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.

15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, Yea, four that say not, Enough:

16 Sheol; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that saith not, Enough.

17 The 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.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yea, four which I know not:

19 The 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 maiden.

20 So is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, I have done no wickedness.

21 For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear:

22 For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food;

23 For an odious woman when she is married; And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

24 There are four things which are little upon the earth, But they are exceeding wise:

25 The ants are a people not strong, Yet they provide their food in the summer;

26 The conies are but a feeble folk, Yet make they their houses in the rocks;

27 The locusts have no king, Yet go they forth all of them by bands;

28 The lizard taketh hold with her hands, Yet is she in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are stately in their march, Yea, four which are stately in going:

30 The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any;

31 The greyhound; the he-goat also; And the king against whom there is no rising up.

32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, Or if thou hast thought evil, Lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

33 For the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.