Proverbs 30:1-25 ▼

1 The words of Agur, son of Jakeh. Agur's prophetic revelation.+b This man's declaration: |I'm weary, O God. I'm weary and worn out, O God.

2 I'm more [like] a dumb animal than a human being. I don't [even] have human understanding.

3 I haven't learned wisdom. I don't have knowledge of the Holy One.

4 |Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand? Who has wrapped water in a garment? Who has set up the earth from one end to the other? What is his name or the name of his son? Certainly, you must know!

5 |Every word of God has proven to be true. He is a shield to those who come to him for protection.

6 Do not add to his words, or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar.

7 |I've asked you for two things. Don't keep them from me before I die:

8 Keep vanity and lies far away from me. Don't give me either poverty or riches. Feed me [only] the food I need,

9 or I may feel satisfied and deny you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' or I may become poor and steal and give the name of my God a bad reputation.

10 |Do not slander a slave to his master. The slave will curse you, and you will be found guilty.|

11 A certain kind of person curses his father and does not bless his mother.

12 A certain kind of person thinks he is pure but is not washed from his own feces.

13 A certain kind of person looks around arrogantly and is conceited.

14 A certain kind of person, whose teeth are like swords and whose jaws are [like] knives, devours oppressed people from the earth and people from among humanity.

15 The bloodsucking leech has two daughters- |Give!| and |Give!| Three things are never satisfied. Four never say, |Enough!|:

16 the grave, a barren womb, a land that never gets enough water, a fire that does not say, |Enough!|

17 The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a mother will be plucked out by ravens in the valley and eaten by young vultures.

18 Three things are too amazing to me, even four that I cannot understand:

19 an eagle making its way through the sky, a snake making its way over a rock, a ship making its way through high seas, a man making his way with a virgin.

20 This is the way of a woman who commits adultery: She eats, wipes her mouth, and says, |I haven't done anything wrong!|

21 Three things cause the earth to tremble, even four it cannot bear up under:

22 a slave when he becomes king, a godless fool when he is filled with food,

23 a woman who is unloved when she gets married, a maid when she replaces her mistress.

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

25 Ants are not a strong species, yet they store their food in summer.