30:1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh of Massa. The man says to Ith'i-el, to Ith'i-el and Ucal:
30:1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. Thus says the man: I am weary, O God, I am weary, O God. How can I prevail?
30:2 Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.
30:2 Surely I am too stupid to be human; I do not have human understanding.
30:3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
30:3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.
30:4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!
30:4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is the person's name? And what is the name of the person's child? Surely you know!
30:5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
30:5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
30:6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
30:6 Do not add to his words, or else he will rebuke you, and you will be found a liar.
30:7 Two things I ask of thee; deny them not to me before I die:
30:7 Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die:
30:8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
30:8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need,
30:9 lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.
30:9 or I shall be full, and deny you, and say, "Who is the LORD?" or I shall be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.
30:10 Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
30:10 Do not slander a servant to a master, or the servant will curse you, and you will be held guilty.
30:11 There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
30:11 There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
30:12 There are those who are pure in their own eyes but are not cleansed of their filth.
30:12 There are those who are pure in their own eyes yet are not cleansed of their filthiness.
30:13 There are those -- how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!
30:13 There are those--how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!
30:14 There are those whose teeth are swords, whose teeth are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among men.
30:14 There are those whose teeth are swords, whose teeth are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mortals.
30:15 The leech has two daughters; "Give, give," they cry. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
30:15 The leech has two daughters; "Give, give," they cry. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
30:16 Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire which never says, "Enough."
30:16 Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire that never says, "Enough."
30:17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
30:17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
30:18 Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
30:18 Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
30:19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.
30:19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a girl.
30:20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."
30:20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."
30:21 Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
30:21 Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
30:22 a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;
30:22 a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when glutted with food;
30:23 an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
30:23 an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
30:24 Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:
30:24 Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
30:25 the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
30:25 the ants are a people without strength, yet they provide their food in the summer;
30:26 the badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
30:26 the badgers are a people without power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
30:27 the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
30:27 the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
30:28 the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.
30:28 the lizard can be grasped in the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.
30:29 Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:
30:29 Three things are stately in their stride; four are stately in their gait:
30:30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;
30:30 the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals and does not turn back before any;
30:31 the strutting cock, the he-goat, and a king striding before his people.
30:31 the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king striding before his people.
30:32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.
30:32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.
30:33 For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.
30:33 For as pressing milk produces curds, and pressing the nose produces blood, so pressing anger produces strife.
30:1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. Thus says the man: I am weary, O God, I am weary, O God. How can I prevail?
30:2 Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.
30:2 Surely I am too stupid to be human; I do not have human understanding.
30:3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
30:3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.
30:4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!
30:4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is the person's name? And what is the name of the person's child? Surely you know!
30:5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
30:5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
30:6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
30:6 Do not add to his words, or else he will rebuke you, and you will be found a liar.
30:7 Two things I ask of thee; deny them not to me before I die:
30:7 Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die:
30:8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
30:8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need,
30:9 lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.
30:9 or I shall be full, and deny you, and say, "Who is the LORD?" or I shall be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.
30:10 Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
30:10 Do not slander a servant to a master, or the servant will curse you, and you will be held guilty.
30:11 There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
30:11 There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
30:12 There are those who are pure in their own eyes but are not cleansed of their filth.
30:12 There are those who are pure in their own eyes yet are not cleansed of their filthiness.
30:13 There are those -- how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!
30:13 There are those--how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!
30:14 There are those whose teeth are swords, whose teeth are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among men.
30:14 There are those whose teeth are swords, whose teeth are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mortals.
30:15 The leech has two daughters; "Give, give," they cry. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
30:15 The leech has two daughters; "Give, give," they cry. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
30:16 Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire which never says, "Enough."
30:16 Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire that never says, "Enough."
30:17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
30:17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
30:18 Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
30:18 Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
30:19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.
30:19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a girl.
30:20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."
30:20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."
30:21 Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
30:21 Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
30:22 a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;
30:22 a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when glutted with food;
30:23 an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
30:23 an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
30:24 Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:
30:24 Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
30:25 the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
30:25 the ants are a people without strength, yet they provide their food in the summer;
30:26 the badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
30:26 the badgers are a people without power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
30:27 the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
30:27 the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
30:28 the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.
30:28 the lizard can be grasped in the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.
30:29 Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:
30:29 Three things are stately in their stride; four are stately in their gait:
30:30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;
30:30 the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals and does not turn back before any;
30:31 the strutting cock, the he-goat, and a king striding before his people.
30:31 the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king striding before his people.
30:32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.
30:32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.
30:33 For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.
30:33 For as pressing milk produces curds, and pressing the nose produces blood, so pressing anger produces strife.