Proverbs 30 · משלי

The words of Agur son of Yaqe, the burden. Thus says the man, I am weary, O God, I am weary, O God, and I am consumed:

for I am more brutish than a man, and have not the understanding of a man.

I have not learned wisdom; that I should desire to have the knowledge of the holy.

Who has ascended up into heaven, and come down again? who has gathered the wind in his fists? who has bound 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 thou canst tell?

Every word of God is proven: he is a shield to those who put their trust in him.

Add not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Two things have I asked of thee; do not deny me them before I die:

remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with my allotted portion:

lest I become sated, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and violate the name of my God.

Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

There is a generation that curse their father, and do not bless their mother.

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

There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

There is a generation, whose teeth are like swords, and their jaw teeth like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

The leech has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied; four that never say, It is enough.

She᾽ol; and the barren womb; the earth that is never sated with water; and the fire that never says, It is enough.

The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young vultures shall eat it.

There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

the way of the vultures in the air; the way of a snake upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.

Likewise the way of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done nothing wrong.

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four it cannot bear:

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

for an unloved woman when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

the ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their bread in the summer;

the badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks;

the locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

The lizard clambers up with her hands, and she is in king’s palaces.

There are three things which are stately in their tread; four are comely in their stride:

a lion which is strongest among beasts, and does not turn away for anyone;

a greyhound; a he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

If thou hast done foolishly in lifting thyself up, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

Surely the wringing of milk brings forth curd, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood: so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.