| Chapter 30 |
1 |
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal: |
2 |
Truly *I* am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man`s intelligence. |
3 |
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy. |
4 |
Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son`s name, if thou knowest? |
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 do I ask 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 the bread of my daily need: |
9 |
lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God. |
10 |
Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held 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, yet are not washed from their filthiness; |
13 |
there is a generation, -- how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up! |
14 |
-- a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from among men. |
15 |
The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three things never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough: |
16 |
-- Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. |
17 |
The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. |
18 |
There are three things too wonderful for me, and four that I know not: |
19 |
The way of an eagle in the heavens, 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 |
Under three things the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up: |
22 |
Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat; |
23 |
under an odious woman when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress. |
24 |
There are four things little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise: |
25 |
The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; |
26 |
the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff; |
27 |
the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands; |
28 |
thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings` palaces. |
29 |
There are three things which have a stately step, and four are comely in going: |
30 |
The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any; |
31 |
a horse girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up. |
32 |
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay the hand upon thy mouth. |
33 |
For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife. |