Proverbs 30
Tree of Life Version
What is The Name of His Son?
30 The words of Agur son of Jakeh—
an oracle this man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:
2 “Surely I am more stupid than any man
and do not have a man’s understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up into heaven, and come down?[a]
Who has gathered the wind in the palm of His hand?
Who has wrapped the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name and what is the name of His son—if you know?”[b]
5 Every word of God is purified.
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 Do not add to His words,
or else He will rebuke You and prove you a liar.
7 Two things I ask of You—
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me.
Give me neither poverty nor riches,
but feed me with my allotted bread,[c]
9 lest I become satisfied and deny You
and say, “Who is Adonai?”
Or lest I become poor, and steal
and profane the Name of my God.
A Filthy, Haughty Generation
10 Do not slander a servant to his master,
or he will curse you, and you pay for it.
11 There is a generation that curses its father
and does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
and yet is not cleansed from its filth.
13 There is a generation whose eyes are so haughty,
whose eyelids are lifted up disdainfully.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords
and whose molars are knives,
to devour the poor from the earth
and the needy from among humanity.
15 The leech has two daughters: “Give! Give!”
Three things are never satisfied, four never say, “Enough!”—
16 Sheol, a barren womb,
land that is not satisfied with water,
and fire that never says, “Enough!”
17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns obeying a mother—
will be pecked out by ravens of the valley
and eaten by young vultures!
18 Three things are too amazing for me,
four I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a serpent upon a rock,
the way of a ship in the heart of the sea,
and the way of a man with a maiden.
20 Such is the way of an adulteress:
she eats, wipes her mouth and says,
“I have done nothing wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth trembles,
and under four it cannot bear up:
22 under a slave when he becomes a king,
a fool when he is stuffed with food,
23 an unloved woman when she is married,
and a handmaid when she displaces her mistress.
Lessons from Creatures
24 Four things on earth are small,
yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 ants are creatures with little strength,
yet they store up their food in summer;
26 coneys are creatures with little power,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
27 locusts have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
28 a lizard you can catch with the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
29 Three things are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts,
who never backs down from anything;
31 a strutting rooster, a male-goat,
and a king with his army around him.
32 If you have acted foolishly, exalting yourself,
or if you have planned evil,
put your hand over your mouth.
33 For as churning milk produces butter,
and twisting the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger produces strife.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:4 cf. John 3:13; Eph. 4:8.
- Proverbs 30:4 cf. Rev. 19:12.
- Proverbs 30:8 cf. Matt. 6:11.
Proverbs 30
King James Version
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19 The 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 maid.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.