The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the
revelation: the man says to Ithiel,
to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 “Surely I am the most ignorant man,
and don’t have a man’s understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
neither do I have the 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 allthe ends ofthe
earth? Whatis his name, and whatis his son’s
name, if you know?
5 “Every word of God is flawless.
He is a shield to those who take refuge
in him.
6 Don’t you add to his words,
lest he reprove you, and you be found
a liar.
7 “Two things I have asked of you.
Don’t deny 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,
9 lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is
Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
10 “Don’t slander a servant to his master,
lest he curse you, and you be held
guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses their
father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
12 There is a generation thatis pure in their
own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are
their eyes! Their eyelids are 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.
15 “The leech has two daughters:
‘Give, give.’ “There are three things
that are never satisfied;
four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
16 Sheol,† the barren womb, the earth that is
not satisfied with water, and the fire that
doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’
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.
18 “There are three things which are too
amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
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.
20 “So is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 “For three things the earth trembles,
and under four, it can’t bear up:
22 For a servant when he is king,
a fool when he is filled with food,
23 for an unloved woman when she is
married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
24 “There are four things which are little on
the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants are not a strong people,
yet they provide their food in the summer.
26 The hyraxes are but a feeble folk,
yet make they their houses in the
rocks.
27 The locusts have no king,
yet they advance in ranks.
28 You can catch a lizard with your
hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29 “There are three things which are stately
in their march, four which are stately in going:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among
animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
31 the greyhound; the male goat;
and the 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.
33 For as the churning of milk produces
butter, and the wringing of the nose produces
blood, so the forcing of wrath produces
strife.”