Proverbs 30

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

1These are the words of Agur, the son of Jakeh. This is his message. He spoke it to Ithiel and to Ucal.

2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

2Agur said: I am more like an animal than a man. I do not understand things the way people do.

3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

3I never learned how to be wise. I do not know the Holy One, who is God.

4Who 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?

4Who has gone up to heaven and come back down? Who has held the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who set up every edge of the earth? What is his name? What is his son's name? Tell me, if you can.

5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

5Every word God says is pure and true. He is like a shield for people who trust him.

6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

6Do not add your own words to God's words. If you do, he will correct you. You will be shown to be a liar.

7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

7God, I ask you for two things. Please do not say no to me before I die.

8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

8Keep lies and false words far away from me. Do not make me poor. Do not make me rich. Just give me the food I need each day.

9Lest 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.

9If I had too much, I might forget you. I might say, "Who is the LORD?" If I were poor, I might steal. Then I would shame the name of my God.

10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

10Do not tell lies about a servant to his master. He may call down trouble on you, and you will be guilty.

11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

11Some people curse their fathers. They never say a kind word about their mothers.

12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

12Some people think they are clean. But they have not washed off their dirt.

13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

13Some people look down on everyone else. Their eyes are full of pride.

14There 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.

14Some people have teeth like swords. Their jaws are like knives. They eat up the poor and take all that people in need have.

15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

15The leech has two daughters. Both of them cry, "Give! Give!" Three things are never full. Four things never say, "That is enough."

NoteThe KJV word "horseleach" means a leech, a small worm that sticks to skin and sucks blood.

16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

16The grave; a woman who cannot have a baby; dry ground that never gets enough water; and fire, which never says, "That is enough."

17The 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.

17Suppose someone laughs at his father. Suppose he will not obey his mother. The ravens in the valley will peck out his eye. Young vultures will eat it.

18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

18Three things are too wonderful for me. There are four I cannot understand.

19The 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.

19How an eagle flies through the sky. How a snake moves over a rock. How a ship sails out at sea. And how a man and a young woman come to love each other.

20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

20This is what a wife who is unfaithful does. She eats, wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done nothing wrong."

21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

21Three things make the earth shake. There are four it cannot stand.

22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

22A servant who becomes king. A fool who has all the food he wants.

23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

23A woman no one loves who finally gets married. And a servant girl who takes the place of the woman she serves.

24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

24Four things on earth are very small. But they are very wise.

25The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

25Ants are not strong. Yet they store up their food all summer long.

26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

26Rock badgers are not powerful. Yet they make their homes among the rocks.

NoteThe KJV word "conies" means rock badgers, small furry animals that live among rocks.

27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

27Locusts have no king. Yet they all march out together in neat lines.

28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.

28A lizard is small enough to catch in your hand. Yet it lives in the palaces of kings.

NoteThe KJV says "spider," but the old Hebrew word most likely means a lizard, small enough to catch in a hand.

29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

29Three things walk in a grand way. Four of them look fine as they go.

30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

30The lion is the strongest of all animals. He backs away from nothing.

31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

31A rooster strutting along. A male goat. And a king with his army around him.

NoteThe KJV says "greyhound," but the old Hebrew words here are not clear. Many think it means a rooster walking proudly.

32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

32Maybe you acted like a fool and bragged about yourself. Maybe you planned something bad. Then put your hand over your mouth and stop.

33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

33Shake milk hard and you get butter. Twist a nose hard and you get blood. Stir up anger and you get a fight.