Proverbs 30
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
Berean Standard Bible
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the burden. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:
1These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.
2Surely I am brutish, unlike a man, and have not the understanding of a man;
2Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
3And I have not learned wisdom, that I should have the knowledge of the Holy One.
3I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
4Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His 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 is tried; He is a shield unto them that take refuge in Him.
5Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
6Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7Two things have I asked of Thee; deny me them not before I die:
7Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:
8Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with mine allotted bread;
8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
9Lest I be full, and deny, 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 deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.
10Slander not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
10Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
11There is a generation that curse their father, and do not bless their mother.
11There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
12There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
13There is a generation, Oh how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
13There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
14There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their great teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
14there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
15The horseleech hath two daughters: 'Give, give.' There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four that say not: 'Enough':
15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not: 'Enough.'
16Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’
17The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young vultures shall eat it.
17As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
18There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
18There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
19The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20So is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: 'I have done no wickedness.'
20This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21For three things the earth doth quake, and for four it cannot endure:
21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22For a servant when he reigneth; and a churl when he is filled with food;
22a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23For an odious woman when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
23an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
24There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
24Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
25The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
25The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26The rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the crags;
26the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
27the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
28The spider thou canst take with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
28and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
29There are three things which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:
29There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
30a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31The greyhound; the he-goat also; and the king, against whom there is no rising up.
31a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast planned devices, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.
32If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33For the churning of milk bringeth forth curd, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
33For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
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