Proverbs 30
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1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.1The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh--an inspired utterance. This man's utterance to Ithiel: "I am weary, God, but I can prevail.
2Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.2Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding.
3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.
4Who 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!4Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped 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!
5Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.5"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.6Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:7"Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
8Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,8Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
9lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.9Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
10Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.10"Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.11"There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;
12There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.12those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
13There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!13those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;
14There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.14those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.
15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:15"The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry. "There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!':
16Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”16the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!'
17The 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.17"The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.
18Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:18"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:
19the 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 virgin.19the 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 young woman.
20This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.”20"This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'
21Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:21"Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;22a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
23an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.23a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress.
24Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:24"Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:
25the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;25Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;26hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;
27the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;27locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;
28the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.28a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.
29Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:29"There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:
30the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;30a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;
31the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.31a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt.
32If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.32"If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth!
33For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.33For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife."
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Proverbs 29
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