Proverbs30

Agur, confessing his lack of human wisdom, extols God's pure word and prays for moderation, avoiding both poverty and riches. The chapter then presents various numerical proverbs, highlighting wicked generations, insatiable desires, and the consequences of filial disrespect. It contrasts incomprehensible wonders with the deceptive ways of the adulteress, and lists things that disquiet the earth, wise small creatures, and things comely in their going, concluding with a warning against pride and provoking strife.

The Words of Agur: Superscription

1
Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: --I have wearied myself for God, I have wearied myself for God, and am consumed.
2
For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.
3
Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.
4
Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What is His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!
5
Every saying of God is tried, A shield He is to those trusting in Him.
6
Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.

Agur's Prayer for Balance

7
Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.
8
Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
9
Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, `Who is Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.
10
Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.

The Four Wicked Generations

11
A generation is , that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.
12
A generation--pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.
13
A generation--how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.
14
A generation--swords are their teeth, And knives--their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from among men.

Numerical Sayings: Insatiable Things

15
To the leech are two daughters, `Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said `Sufficiency;'
16
Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth--it is not satisfied with water, And fire--it hath not said, `Sufficiency,'
17
An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.

Numerical Sayings: Mysteries of Movement

18
Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:
19
The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.
20
So--the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, `I have not done iniquity.'

Numerical Sayings: Unbearable Upheaval

21
For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four--it is not able to bear:
22
For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,
23
For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.

Numerical Sayings: Small but Wise Creatures

24
Four are little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:
25
The ants are a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,
26
Conies are a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,
27
A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out--each one shouting,
28
A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.

Numerical Sayings: Majestic Bearing

29
Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:
30
An old lion--mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,
31
A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king--no rising up with him.

Final Warnings Against Strife

32
If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil--hand to mouth!
33
For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!
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