Proverbs 30 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 30 ▼
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BSB
Berean Standard Bible
ESV
English Standard Version
KJV
King James Version
NIV
New International Version
NLT
New Living Translation
1 These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out. The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out. The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man’s utterance to Ithiel: “I am weary, God, but I can prevail. The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.
2 Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man. Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.
3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son—surely you know! Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up 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? Surely you know! 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? Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up 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? Surely you know! Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name—and his son’s name? Tell me if you know!
5 Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
7 Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die: Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: “Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die: O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.
8 Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God. lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. 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. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
10 Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt. Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty. Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. “Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it. Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11 There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother.
12 There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth. There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.
13 There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances— There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift! There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances.
14 there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men. There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind. 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. those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind. They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
15 The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”: The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: “The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More, more!” There are three things that are never satisfied— no, four that never say, “Enough!”:
16 Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.” The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’ the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.
17 As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it. The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures. 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. “The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures. The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.
18 There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand: Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand: There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: There are three things that amaze me— no, four things that I don’t understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden. the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a virgin. 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. the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman. how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.
20 This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’ This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.” Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’ An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?”
21 Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up: For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: “Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: There are three things that make the earth tremble— no, four it cannot endure:
22 a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food, a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food; For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers,
23 an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress. an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress. For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress. a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress. a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.
24 Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: “Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
25 The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer.
26 the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; Hyraxes—they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks.
27 the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation.
28 and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings. the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces. The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces. a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces. Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk: Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride: There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: “There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: There are three things that walk with stately stride— no, four that strut about:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything; the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any; A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,
31 a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him. the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him. A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up. a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt. the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.
32 If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth. If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth. If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. “If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame.
33 For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.” For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife. 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. For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.” As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.
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