The Proverbs

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 30 -

Utterances of Agur. Personal testimony

The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh-an oracle: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

Surely I am more like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.

I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.

Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has gathered up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!

Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.

Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me before I die:

Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.

For if I have too much, I might deny you and say, “Who is Yahweh?” Or if I become poor, I might steal and profane the name of my God.

Numerical parables

Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.

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

There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.

There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!

There is a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jawbones are like knives, so they may devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.

The leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough”:

Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “Enough!”

The eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, his eyes will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, and he will be eaten by the vultures.

There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:

the way of an eagle in the sky; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.

This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”

Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:

a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;

a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.

Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:

The ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;

the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.

Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.

As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings’ palaces.

There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:

A lion, strongest among wild animals-it does not turn away from anything;

a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.

If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil-put your hand over your mouth.

As churning milk makes butter and as one’s nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.

Utterances of Agur. Personal testimony

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.

I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

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 all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?

“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.

Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,

lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Numerical parables

“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.

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

There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.

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.

“The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:

Sheol,(a) the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’

“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.

“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:

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.

“So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:

For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,

for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.

“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.

The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

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

“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:

The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;

the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”

Footnotes

(a)30:16 Sheol is the place of the dead.