Proverbs 30

The words of Agur

The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God. ²I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. ³I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.

⁴Who 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!a ⁵Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.b ⁶Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.c

⁷O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. ⁸First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.d ⁹For 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.e

¹⁰Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it. ¹¹Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. ¹²They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.f

¹³They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances. ¹⁴They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.g ¹⁵The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More, more!” There are three things that are never satisfied— no, four that never say, “Enough!”: ¹⁶the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.

¹⁷The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures. ¹⁸There are three things that amaze me— no, four things that I don’t understand: ¹⁹how 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.

²⁰An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?” ²¹There are three things that make the earth tremble— no, four it cannot endure: ²²a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers, ²³a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.

²⁴There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: ²⁵Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer.h ²⁶Hyraxes—they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks.

²⁷Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation. ²⁸Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces. ²⁹There are three things that walk with stately stride— no, four that strut about: ³⁰the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything, ³¹the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.

³²If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame. ³³As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.