Proverbs 30

1. The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: The man spoke to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal, saying,

2. “Surely I am more like an animal than any man, and do not have the understanding of a man.

3. I have not learned wisdom, nor the knowledge of the holy.

4. Who has gone up to heaven and has come down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in His garments? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know?

5. Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

6. Do not add to His words, lest He correct you and you be found a liar.

7. I have asked two things from You; do not deny them before I die:

8. Remove far from me vanity and a lying word; give me neither poverty or riches; feed me my portion of bread,

9. Lest I be full and deny You, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or lest I be poor, and steal, and violate the name of my God.

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

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

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

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

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

15. The leech has two daughters, crying, ‘Give, give!’ Three things are never satisfied, yea, four things never say, ‘Enough!’—

16. The grave, the barren womb, the earth not filled with water, and the fire have never said, ‘Enough.’

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

18. Three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I do not understand:

19. The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the middle of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden.

20. Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done no wickedness.’

21. For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four it is not able to bear up:

22. For a slave when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with food;

23. For a hateful woman when she is married; and a servant girl that is heir to her mistress.

24. Four things are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

25. The ants are a creature not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;

26. The rock badgers are not mighty creatures, yet they make their houses in the rock;

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

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

29. There are three things which go well, yea, four that go stately in walking:

30. A lion is mighty among beasts and does not turn away for any;

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

32. If you have done foolishly in exalting yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand on your mouth.

33. Surely as the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood, so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.”