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Proverbes 30
Louis Segond
Proverbes 30
Louis Segond
30 Paroles d'Agur, fils de Jaké. Sentences prononcées par cet homme pour Ithiel, pour Ithiel et pour Ucal.
2 Certes, je suis plus stupide que personne, Et je n'ai pas l'intelligence d'un homme;
3 Je n'ai pas appris la sagesse, Et je ne connais pas la science des saints.
4 Qui est monté aux cieux, et qui en est descendu? Qui a recueilli le vent dans ses mains? Qui a serré les eaux dans son vêtement? Qui a fait paraître les extrémités de la terre? Quel est son nom, et quel est le nom de son fils? Le sais-tu?
5 Toute parole de Dieu est éprouvée. Il est un bouclier pour ceux qui cherchent en lui un refuge.
6 N'ajoute rien à ses paroles, De peur qu'il ne te reprenne et que tu ne sois trouvé menteur.
7 Je te demande deux choses: Ne me les refuse pas, avant que je meure!
8 Éloigne de moi la fausseté et la parole mensongère; Ne me donne ni pauvreté, ni richesse, Accorde-moi le pain qui m'est nécessaire.
9 De peur que, dans l'abondance, je ne te renie Et ne dise: Qui est l'Éternel? Ou que, dans la pauvreté, je ne dérobe, Et ne m'attaque au nom de mon Dieu.
10 Ne calomnie pas un serviteur auprès de son maître, De peur qu'il ne te maudisse et que tu ne te rendes coupable.
11 Il est une race qui maudit son père, Et qui ne bénit point sa mère.
12 Il est une race qui se croit pure, Et qui n'est pas lavée de sa souillure.
13 Il est une race dont les yeux sont hautains, Et les paupières élevées.
14 Il est une race dont les dents sont des glaives Et les mâchoires des couteaux, Pour dévorer le malheureux sur la terre Et les indigents parmi les hommes.
15 La sangsue a deux filles: Donne! donne! Trois choses sont insatiables, Quatre ne disent jamais: Assez!
16 Le séjour des morts, la femme stérile, La terre, qui n'est pas rassasiée d'eau, Et le feu, qui ne dit jamais: Assez!
17 L'oeil qui se moque d'un père Et qui dédaigne l'obéissance envers une mère, Les corbeaux du torrent le perceront, Et les petits de l'aigle le mangeront.
18 Il y a trois choses qui sont au-dessus de ma portée, Même quatre que je ne puis comprendre:
19 La trace de l'aigle dans les cieux, La trace du serpent sur le rocher, La trace du navire au milieu de la mer, Et la trace de l'homme chez la jeune femme.
20 Telle est la voie de la femme adultère: Elle mange, et s'essuie la bouche, Puis elle dit: Je n'ai point fait de mal.
21 Trois choses font trembler la terre, Et il en est quatre qu'elle ne peut supporter:
22 Un esclave qui vient à régner, Un insensé qui est rassasié de pain,
23 Une femme dédaignée qui se marie, Et une servante qui hérite de sa maîtresse.
24 Il y a sur la terre quatre animaux petits, Et cependant des plus sages;
25 Les fourmis, peuple sans force, Préparent en été leur nourriture;
26 Les damans, peuple sans puissance, Placent leur demeure dans les rochers;
27 Les sauterelles n'ont point de roi, Et elles sortent toutes par divisions;
28 Le lézard saisit avec les mains, Et se trouve dans les palais des rois.
29 Il y en a trois qui ont une belle allure, Et quatre qui ont une belle démarche:
30 Le lion, le héros des animaux, Ne reculant devant qui que ce soit;
31 Le cheval tout équipé; ou le bouc; Et le roi à qui personne ne résiste.
32 Si l'orgueil te pousse à des actes de folie, Et si tu as de mauvaises pensées, mets la main sur la bouche:
33 Car la pression du lait produit de la crème, La pression du nez produit du sang, Et la pression de la colère produit des querelles.
Proverbs 30
New Catholic Bible
Proverbs 30
New Catholic Bible
The Sayings of Agur[a]
The sayings of Agur, son of Jakeh, from Massa:[b]
This is my statement: I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and worn out.
Like Job[c]
2 I count myself among the most stupid of men,
and I am bereft of human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor do I have any knowledge of the Most Holy One.
4 Who has ever gone up to heaven and come down again?
Who has cupped the wind in the hollow of his hands?
Who has wrapped the waters in the fold of his garment?
Who has established all the boundaries of the earth?
What is his name or the name of his son?
Do you know it?[d]
5 Every word of God has proved to be true;
he is a shield to those who trust in him.[e]
6 Add nothing to his words,
lest he reprove you and expose you as a fraud.
Like Solomon[f]
7 Two things[g] I ask of you;
do not deny them to me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lying far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but simply provide me with the food that I need.
9 For if I have too much, I may deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And if I am destitute, I may begin to steal
and profane the name of my God.
People with Neither Faith Nor Law[h]
10 Do not slander a servant to his master,
lest he curse you and you will be held guilty
11 There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers.[i]
12 They regard themselves as pure
and yet have not been cleansed of their filth.
13 They have eyes that are haughty[j]
and glances that reveal their disdain.
14 They have teeth that are swords
and jaws that are knives.
They devour the poor of the earth
and the needy from among men.
VIII: Numerical Proverbs[k]
Insatiable Things[l]
15 The leech has two daughters,
each of whom demands, “Give! Give!”
There are three things that are never satisfied,
four that never say “Enough!”:
16 The netherworld and the barren womb,
the earth that is thirsty for water,
and fire that never says “Enough!”
Woe to the Wicked Son
17 The eye that mocks a father
or shows scorn to an aged mother
will be plucked out by the ravens of the valley
and eaten by the vultures.[m]
The Astounding Mystery of Generation
18 There are three things too wonderful for me to comprehend,
four that are beyond my understanding:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake over a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a maiden.[n]
“I Have Done Nothing Wrong”[o]
20 This is the way of an adulteress:
she eats, then wipes her mouth
and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
The Insolence of the Newly Successful
21 There are three things that cause the earth to tremble,
indeed four things that it cannot endure:
22 a slave crowned as a king,
a fool gorged with food,
23 a hateful woman when she snares a husband,
and a servant girl when she supplants her mistress.
The Resourceful Little Ones[p]
24 There are four creatures among the tiniest on the earth
who are nevertheless exceedingly wise:
25 the ants, a species without strength,
yet they gather their food in the summer;
26 the rock-badgers, a species without power,
yet they make their home in the rocks;
27 the locusts, a species without a king,
yet they all march forth in formation;
28 the lizards, a species you can catch in your hands,
yet they are found in the palaces of kings.
The King, Majestic among Other Animals[q]
29 There are three creatures that are stately in their stride,
four that are stately as they walk:
30 the lion, the mightiest of wild animals,
who retreats from nothing;
31 the strutting rooster, the he-goat,[r]
and a king at the head of his army.
Silence Is Golden, Especially in Time of Anger
32 If you have been foolish enough to exalt yourself[s]
or if you have devised evil,
put your hand over your mouth.
33 For as churning the milk produces curds
and twisting the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger produces strife.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:1 This is a short collection of the sayings of a foreigner, one of the “sons of the East” whose wisdom was greatly esteemed (1 Ki 5:10; Jer 49:7), men such as Lemuel (see Prov 31:1-9) or Job and his friends. Agur may be an imaginary personage, but bringing him on the scene is evidence that wisdom transcends the borders of the chosen people. Wisdom is universal and must welcome the truth wherever it is found. Agur is a simple man, amazed by the mystery of nature, who humbly prays for perseverance.
- Proverbs 30:1 The second part of this verse presents translation difficulties. Both the Vulgate and the Septuagint have different interpretations. Massa: an Ishmaelite tribe north of Arabia, in the eastern part of Palestine (see Gen 25:14).
- Proverbs 30:2 In this dialogue with God, the sage loses all his assurance; he is no longer the man who knows everything. The mystery of God is divined in creation, but who could attain such knowledge! Can human beings do anything else but respectfully embrace his word, i.e., the Law and the Prophets and perhaps the teachings of the sages?
- Proverbs 30:4 See the similar use of rhetorical questions to express God’s greatness in Job 38:4-11; Isa 40:12. Do you know it?: see Job 38:4.
- Proverbs 30:5 This verse is very close to Ps 18:31.
- Proverbs 30:7 In a humble prayer, human beings can ask for a good heart and, for the rest, their share of bread: what is necessary suffices (see Mt 6:11). Indeed, if wretchedness leads to the edge of revolt, wealth easily leads to contempt for God.
- Proverbs 30:7 Two things: these sayings are fond of using lists (see vv. 15, 18, 21, 24, 29). See note on Prov 6:16-19.
- Proverbs 30:10 After verse 10, there is a diatribe against falsehood and violence, i.e., the crime of those who wish to dominate by despising others.
- Proverbs 30:11 See note on Prov 20:20.
- Proverbs 30:13 Eyes that are haughty: see note on Prov 6:17.
- Proverbs 30:15 These are termed “numerical proverbs” because they use numbers: There are three things . . . four . . .; these figures stand for a quantity that cannot be exactly counted. They propose a truth in a witty way that constitutes their charm (see also note on Prov 6:16-19). Some proverbs of another kind (vv. 17-20, 32-33) have slipped in like intruders in this short collection.
- Proverbs 30:15 Here we see presented the leech, model of the parasite. Then the proverb evokes the power of a desire that is never fulfilled. The netherworld is the abyss of death that ceaselessly swallows up human generations.
- Proverbs 30:17 See verse 11 and note on Prov 20:20.
- Proverbs 30:19 The way of a man with a maiden: an obscure saying that may mean how a man is born of a young woman (see Ps 139:13-18), or how the affection that draws a man to a young woman is awakened in him.
- Proverbs 30:20 A reader who has misunderstood the poetry in the preceding verses has added this reflection, which is closer to his moralizing preoccupations: the adulteress is cunning enough to camouflage her offense.
- Proverbs 30:24 The labor of the ant has already been cited, e.g., in Prov 6:6-8. The rock-badger, a small mammiferous savage, shows how to find shelter even if one is not among the powerful. In evoking the lizard, one is undoubtedly thinking of the courtesan of modest state who comes to sneak into the palace where she does nothing but gild herself in the king’s sunshine.
- Proverbs 30:29 Here we have a bit of popular irony before a ceremonial parade. True majesty is something else.
- Proverbs 30:31 He-goat: goats were used to lead flocks of sheep (see Jer 50:8; Dan 8:5).
- Proverbs 30:32 Exalt yourself: see condemnation of pride in Prov 8:13; 11:2; 16:18. Devised evil: see Prov 6:14; 16:27. Put your hand over your mouth: i.e., cease your plotting (see Job 21:5; 40:4).
Proverbs 30
New International Version
Proverbs 30
New International Version
Sayings of Agur
30 The sayings(A) of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance.
This man’s utterance to Ithiel:
“I am weary, God,
but I can prevail.[a]
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
I do not have human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.(B)
4 Who has gone up(C) to heaven and come down?
Whose hands(D) have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters(E) in a cloak?(F)
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name,(G) and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!
5 “Every word of God is flawless;(H)
he is a shield(I) to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add(J) to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.(K)
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown(L) you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’(M)
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.(N)
10 “Do not slander a servant to their master,
or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11 “There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers;(O)
12 those who are pure in their own eyes(P)
and yet are not cleansed of their filth;(Q)
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty,(R)
whose glances are so disdainful;
14 those whose teeth(S) are swords
and whose jaws are set with knives(T)
to devour(U) the poor(V) from the earth
and the needy from among mankind.(W)
15 “The leech has two daughters.
‘Give! Give!’ they cry.
“There are three things that are never satisfied,(X)
four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 the grave,(Y) the barren womb,
land, which is never satisfied with water,
and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
17 “The eye that mocks(Z) a father,
that scorns an aged mother,
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley,
will be eaten by the vultures.(AA)
18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me,
four that I do not understand:
19 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.
20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth
and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’(AB)
21 “Under three things the earth trembles,
under four it cannot bear up:
22 a servant who becomes king,(AC)
a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
23 a contemptible woman who gets married,
and a servant who displaces her mistress.
24 “Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
25 Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;(AD)
26 hyraxes(AE) are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
27 locusts(AF) have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
28 a lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts,
who retreats before nothing;
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
and a king secure against revolt.[b]
32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
or if you plan evil,
clap your hand over your mouth!(AG)
33 For as churning cream produces butter,
and as twisting the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger produces strife.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:1 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text utterance to Ithiel, / to Ithiel and Ukal:
- Proverbs 30:31 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Proverbs 30
King James Version
Proverbs 30
King James Version
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4 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?
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 have I required 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 food convenient for me:
9 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.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found 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, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 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.
15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17 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.
18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19 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.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 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.
Louis Segond (LSG)
New International Version (NIV) 
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