NIV

Proverbs 30

1<pb/>The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. <pb/><t>This man’s utterance to Ithiel: <pb/>“I am weary, God,</t> <t>but I can prevail.<f>[50]</f></t>
2<t>Surely I am only a brute, not a man;</t> <t>I do not have human understanding.</t>
3<t>I have not learned wisdom,</t> <t>nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.</t>
4<t>Who has gone up to heaven and come down?</t> <t>Whose hands have gathered up the wind?</t> <t>Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?</t> <t>Who has established all the ends of the earth?</t> <t>What is his name, and what is the name of his son?</t> <t>Surely you know! <pb/></t>
5<t>“Every word of God is flawless;</t> <t>he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.</t>
6<t>Do not add to his words,</t> <t>or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. <pb/></t>
7<t>“Two things I ask of you, LORD;</t> <t>do not refuse me before I die:</t>
8<t>Keep falsehood and lies far from me;</t> <t>give me neither poverty nor riches,</t> <t>but give me only my daily bread.</t>
9<t>Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you</t> <t>and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’</t> <t>Or I may become poor and steal,</t> <t>and so dishonor the name of my God. <pb/></t>
10<t>“Do not slander a servant to their master,</t> <t>or they will curse you, and you will pay for it. <pb/></t>
11<t>“There are those who curse their fathers</t> <t>and do not bless their mothers;</t>
12<t>those who are pure in their own eyes</t> <t>and yet are not cleansed of their filth;</t>
13<t>those whose eyes are ever so haughty,</t> <t>whose glances are so disdainful;</t>
14<t>those whose teeth are swords</t> <t>and whose jaws are set with knives</t> <t>to devour the poor from the earth</t> <t>and the needy from among mankind. <pb/></t>
15<t>“The leech has two daughters.</t> <t>‘Give! Give!’ they cry. <pb/>“There are three things that are never satisfied,</t> <t>four that never say, ‘Enough!’:</t>
16<t>the grave, the barren womb,</t> <t>land, which is never satisfied with water,</t> <t>and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’ <pb/></t>
17<t>“The eye that mocks a father,</t> <t>that scorns an aged mother,</t> <t>will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley,</t> <t>will be eaten by the vultures. <pb/></t>
18<t>“There are three things that are too amazing for me,</t> <t>four that I do not understand:</t>
19<t>the way of an eagle in the sky,</t> <t>the way of a snake on a rock,</t> <t>the way of a ship on the high seas,</t> <t>and the way of a man with a young woman. <pb/></t>
20<t>“This is the way of an adulterous woman:</t> <t>She eats and wipes her mouth</t> <t>and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’ <pb/></t>
21<t>“Under three things the earth trembles,</t> <t>under four it cannot bear up:</t>
22<t>a servant who becomes king,</t> <t>a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,</t>
23<t>a contemptible woman who gets married,</t> <t>and a servant who displaces her mistress. <pb/></t>
24<t>“Four things on earth are small,</t> <t>yet they are extremely wise:</t>
25<t>Ants are creatures of little strength,</t> <t>yet they store up their food in the summer;</t>
26<t>hyraxes are creatures of little power,</t> <t>yet they make their home in the crags;</t>
27<t>locusts have no king,</t> <t>yet they advance together in ranks;</t>
28<t>a lizard can be caught with the hand,</t> <t>yet it is found in kings’ palaces. <pb/></t>
29<t>“There are three things that are stately in their stride,</t> <t>four that move with stately bearing:</t>
30<t>a lion, mighty among beasts,</t> <t>who retreats before nothing;</t>
31<t>a strutting rooster, a he-goat,</t> <t>and a king secure against revolt.<f>[51]</f> <pb/></t>
32<t>“If you play the fool and exalt yourself,</t> <t>or if you plan evil,</t> <t>clap your hand over your mouth!</t>
33<t>For as churning cream produces butter,</t> <t>and as twisting the nose produces blood,</t> <t>so stirring up anger produces strife.”</t>