Proverbs 30
The Words of Agur
1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The pronouncement. The man’s oration to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:23I am more stupid than any other person, and I lack a human’s ability to understand.4
5I have not gained wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.6
7Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has bound up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son — if you know?8
9Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.10
11Don’t add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.12
13Two things I ask of you; don’t deny them to me before I die:14
15Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need.16
17Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.18
19Don’t slander a servant to his master or he will curse you, and you will become guilty.20
21There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.22
23There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth.24
25There is a generation — how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks.26
27There is a generation whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, devouring the oppressed from the land and the needy from among mankind.28
29The leech has two daughters: “Give, Give!” Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough!”:30
31Sheol; a childless womb; earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, “Enough!”32
33As for the eye that ridicules a father and despises obedience to a mother, may ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures eat it.34
35Three things are too wondrous for me; four I can’t understand:36
37the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a young woman.38
39This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.”40
41The earth trembles under three things; it cannot bear up under four:42
43a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is stuffed with food,44
45an unloved woman when she marries, and a servant girl when she ousts her queen.46
47Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:48
49ants are not a strong people, yet they store up their food in the summer;50
51hyraxes are not a mighty people, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;52
53locusts have no king, yet all of them march in ranks;54
55a lizard can be caught in your hands, yet it lives in kings’ palaces.56
57Three things are stately in their stride; four are stately in their walk:58
59a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn’t retreat before anything;60
61a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king at the head of his army.62
63If you have been foolish by exalting yourself or if you’ve been scheming, put your hand over your mouth.64
65For the churning of milk produces butter, and twisting a nose draws blood, and stirring up anger produces strife.66