Proverbs 30

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

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:

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

2I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.

3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

3I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.

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

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 pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

5Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.

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

6Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved and found a liar:

7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

7Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.

8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

8Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:

9Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

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 unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

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.

11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

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

12A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.

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

13A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.

14There 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.

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 horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

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.

16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, 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 despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

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.

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

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 with a maid.

19There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:

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

20Such also is the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.

21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

21By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear.

22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

22By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when be is filled with meat:

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

23By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.

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

24There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise.

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

25The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:

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

26The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:

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

27The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands:

28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.

28The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings' houses.

29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

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30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

30A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:

31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

31A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.

32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

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.

33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

33And he that strongly squeezeth the paps 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.