Proverbs 30

1The words of Agur son of Jakeh, the oracle: the declaration of the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal.

2For I am more senseless than a man, and I do not have human understanding.

3And I have not learned wisdom, nor do I know the knowledge of the Holy One.

4Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped 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—if you know?

5Every word of God is refined; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be proved a liar.

7Two things I have asked of you; do not withhold them from me before I die:

8Keep falsehood and lying words far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread allotted to me.

9lest I become full and deny you and say, “Who is Yahweh?” or lest I become poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

10Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you and you become guilty.

11There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.

12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth.

13There is a generation—how lofty are its eyes, and its eyelids are raised high.

14a generation whose teeth are swords, and whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.

15The leech has two daughters: “Give, give.” Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:

16Sheol, and a barren womb; earth, never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, “Enough”.

17The eye that mocks a father and despises obedience to a mother—the ravens of the valley will peck it out, and the young of the eagle will eat it.

18Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:

19the 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.

20So is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong”.

21Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:

22under a servant when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with bread,

23under a hated woman when she gets married, and a female servant when she takes her mistress’s place.

24Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:

25The ants are not a strong people, yet they prepare their food in the summer.

26Rock badgers are not a mighty people, yet they make their home in the crag.

27The locusts have no king, yet all of them march out in ranks.

28A lizard you can catch with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29There are three that stride well, even four that walk well:

30a lion, mighty among the animals, which does not retreat from anything;

31a strutting rooster, or a he-goat, and a king against whom there is no rising up.

32If you have acted foolishly by exalting yourself, or if you have plotted, put your hand over your mouth.

33For pressing milk produces butter, and pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.