Proverbs 30:1-33
30 * The words of Agur the son of Jakeh the Massaite.Quoth the man, “I am tired, God,tired, God, and used up,
2 Because I am more of a brute beast than of a manand have not human sense,
3 * And have not learned wisdomso as to have knowledge of the Holy.
4 Who has gone up to the sky and come down?who has taken the wind in his two hands?Who has taken up water in a blanket?who set up all the extremities of the earth?What is his name, and the name of his son?—since you know!
5 Every say of God’s is sterling;he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,for fear he should arraign you and you turn out to have been lying.
7 I ask two things of you;do not refuse to let me have them before I die:
8 * Keep shams and lying talk far away from me;poverty and riches give not to me,issue me my proper ration,
9 * For fear I should have all I want and turn agnosticand say ‘Who is Jehovah?’And for fear I should grow poor and stealand be irreverent to the name of my God.
10 Do not tell tales of a slave to his master,for fear he should curse you and you bear the consequences.
11 A generation that curses its fatherand does not bless its mother!
12 * A generation that thinks it is cleanand has not got the worst of its filth washed off!
13 A generation with eyes O how loftyand eyebrows raised!
14 A generation whose teeth are swordsand its fangs knivesTo eat unfortunate men off the earthand needy men out of the human race!”
15 * The bloodsucker has two daughters: Give! Give!Three they are that never get their fill,four that never say “enough”:
16 The realm of death, and barrenness of womb;earth, which never gets its fill of water;and fire, which never says “enough.”
17 An eye that gibes at a fatherand despises obedience to a motherRavens of the glen will peckand a vulture’s young will eat.
18 Three they are that are too mysterious for meand four that I do not know about:
19 A vulture’s road in the sky,a snake’s road on a rock,A ship’s road on the high sea,and a man’s road in a wench.
20 Such is an adulterous wife’s road:she eats and wipes her mouthand says “I did not do anything out of the way.”
21 Under three earth staggers,and under four it cannot bear up:
22 Under a slave when he gets to be kingand a boor when he gets his stomach full of bread,
23 * Under an old maid when she gets marriedand a slave-girl when she gets into her mistress’s place.
24 Four they are that are earth’s little thingsbut are shrewdly wise:
25 The ants are a people that are not strong,but they make their preparations in summer for their bread;
26 Dassies are a people that are not formidable,but they place their house in the crag;
27 The grasshoppers have no king,but they all go out on an aimed course;
28 A lizard you can catch in your hands,but it is in royal palaces.
29 Three they are that are fine of stepand four that are fine of walk:
30 A lion, champion among beasts,that does not turn back for any;
31 * A strutting cock; or a he-goat;and a king—do not stand up against him.
32 * If you are adrift when you fly highor if you have a design—hand on mouth!
33 For bumping milk brings out butter,and bumping a nose brings out blood,and bumping anger brings out discord.
Footnotes
^ 30:1 Codd. of Jakeh, the boding.
^ 30:3 Lit. know knowledge of
^ 30:8 Lit. my bread of ration
^ 30:9 Lit. handle the name
^ 30:12 The Hebrew specifies the kind of worst filth
^ 30:15 Or The vampire has
^ 30:23 Lit. an unwanted woman when
^ 30:31 Unc., susp.
^ 30:32 Unc., susp.
