Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

The words of Agur the son of Yakeh, even the prophecy: the man said unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ukkal,

2 “Surely I am the most ignorant man, and do not have a man’s understanding.

“Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a common man.

3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

Nor have I learned wisdom, so that I should have knowledge of the Holy One.

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

Who was it that ascended into heaven, and came down again? who gathered the wind in his fists? who bound the waters in a garment? who set up all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest it?”

5 “Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Every saying of God is purified: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.

6 Do not you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

Do not add aught unto his words: lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

7 “Two things I have asked of you. Do not deny me before I die.

Two things do I request of thee: deny them not to me 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,

Vanity and lying words do thou remove far from me: neither poverty nor riches give thou unto me; let me eat the bread appointed unto me:

9 lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Lest I become over-full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I become poor, and steal, and trespass against the name of my God.

10 “Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

Do not calumniate a servant unto his master: lest he curse thee, and thou incur guilt.

11 There is a generation that curses their father, and does not bless their mother.

There is a generation that curseth its father, and doth not bless its mother.

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

There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed [clean] of its filthiness.

13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.

There is a generation—O how lofty are its eyes! and its eyelids are so lifted up.

14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and whose string teeth are as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

15 “The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that do not say, ‘Enough!’:

Insatiability hath two daughters, [crying, ] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things which never say, Enough:

16 Sheol (Sheol h7585), the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that does not say, 'Enough!'

The nether world; and a barren womb; the earth which is not satisfied with water; and the fire which never saith, Enough. (Sheol h7585)

17 “The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.

The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, this shall the ravens of the valley pick out; and the young eagles shall eat it.

18 “There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I do not understand:

Three things there are which are too wonderful for me; and four, which I know not:

19 The way of an eagle in the air, 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 maiden.

The way of the eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.

20 “So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wrong.

21 “For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it cannot bear up:

Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:

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

Under a servant when he becometh king, and a worthless fool when he hath eaten enough bread;

23 for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.

Under an odious woman when she is married, and a bond-woman when she dispossesseth her mistress.

24 “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

There are four which are the little ones of the earth, and they are nevertheless exceedingly wise:

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

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

26 The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

The conies are but a feeble people, therefore do they place on the rocks their houses;

27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth in troops altogether;

28 You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

The spider thou canst catch with [thy] hands, and yet she is in the palaces of a king.

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

Three there are that have a stately step, and four, that are stately in going:

30 The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and does not turn away for any;

The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;

31 the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

The light-legged greyhound, and the he-goat; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

32 “If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

If thou hast become degraded by lifting up thyself, or if thou hast devised evil, put thy hand to thy mouth:

33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”

For the pressure of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife.