Proverbs 30

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

1These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh; an inspired message. The man spoke to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:

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

2I am certainly more ignorant than any other person; I do not have the common sense of a human being.

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

3I have not learned wisdom, and I do not have knowledge of the Holy One.

4Who 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?

4Who has gone up to heaven and come back down? Who has collected the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped the waters in his cloak? Who has set all the boundaries of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Tell me if you know!

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

5Every word of God is proven true. He is a shield to those who go to him for safety.

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

6Do not add anything to his words, or he will correct you and prove that you are a liar.

7Two things have I asked of thee; Deny methemnot before I die:

7I have asked you for two things; do not refuse me before I die:

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

8Keep lies and deceit far from me. Do not give me poverty or great wealth; just give me the food I need for each day.

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

9Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I might become poor and steal, and so bring shame on the name of my God.

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

10Never insult a servant to their master, or they will curse you and you will be found guilty.

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

11There are people who curse their fathers and do not show any gratitude to their mothers.

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

12There are people who think they are pure, but they haven't been washed of their own filth.

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

13There are people with such proud eyes! They look down on everyone around them.

14There is a generation whose teeth areasswords, and their jaw teethasknives, To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

14There are people whose teeth are like swords and whose jaws are like knives, ready to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.

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

15The leech has two daughters who cry, 'Give! Give!' There are three things that are never satisfied, even four that never say, 'That’s enough':

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

16The grave, the womb that cannot have children, the land that never gets enough water, and the fire that never says, 'Enough.'

17The 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.

17The eye that makes fun of a father and refuses to obey a mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by young vultures.

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

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

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 with a maiden.

19The way an eagle flies in the sky, the way a snake moves over a rock, the way a ship travels through the sea, and the way a man is with a young woman.

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

20This is how an unfaithful woman acts: She eats, wipes her mouth, and says, 'I haven't done anything wrong.'

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

21The earth trembles because of three things, and there are four it cannot stand:

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

22A servant who becomes a king, a fool who has plenty to eat,

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

23An unloved woman who gets married, and a female servant who takes the place of her mistress.

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

24There are four things on earth that are small, but they are extremely wise:

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

25Ants are not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer.

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

26Hyraxes are not powerful animals, yet they build their homes in the safety of the rocks.

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

27Locusts have no king, yet they all move forward in organized ranks.

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

28A lizard can be caught with the hands, yet it lives in the palaces of kings.

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

29There are three things that walk with pride, or four that are impressive when they move:

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

30A lion, which is the strongest of animals and turns away from nothing;

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

31A strutting rooster, a male goat, and a king leading his army.

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

32If you have been foolish enough to brag about yourself, or if you have planned evil, stop and put your hand over your mouth.

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

33As churning milk produces butter, and twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces conflict.