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Every Word of God Is Tested

30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the [a]oracle.

The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

Surely I am more (A)senseless than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of mankind.
Neither have I learned wisdom,
Nor do I know the (B)knowledge of the Holy One.
Who has (C)ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the (D)wind in His fists?
Who has (E)wrapped the waters in [b]His garment?
Who has [c](F)established all the ends of the earth?
What is His (G)name? And what is His (H)Son’s name?
Surely you know!

Every (I)word of God is [d]tested;
He is a (J)shield to those who take refuge in Him.
(K)Do not add to His words
Lest He reprove you, and you be proved a liar.

Two things I asked of You,
Do not withhold from me before I die:
Keep worthlessness and every false word far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the (L)food that is my portion,
Lest I be (M)full and deny (N)You and say, “Who is Yahweh?”
Or lest I be (O)impoverished and steal,
And [e](P)profane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
Lest he (Q)curse you and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that (R)curses its father
And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation that is (S)clean in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation—oh how (T)haughty are its eyes!
And its eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose (U)teeth are like swords
And its (V)fangs like knives,
To (W)devour the afflicted from the earth
And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters,
“Give,” “Give.”
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, “Enough”:
16 (X)Sheol, and the (Y)barren womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “Enough.”
17 The eye that (Z)mocks a father
And (AA)despises obedience to a mother,
The (AB)ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young (AC)eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
19 The way of an (AD)eagle in the sky,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the heart of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.
20 This is the way of an (AE)adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wrong.”

21 Under three things the earth quakes,
And under four, it cannot bear up:
22 Under a (AF)slave when he becomes king,
And a wicked fool when he is satisfied with food,
23 Under [f]an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
And a servant-girl when she supplants her mistress.

24 Four things are small on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The (AG)ants are not a strong people,
But they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The [g](AH)shephanim are not a mighty people,
Yet they make their houses in the cliff;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in (AI)rank;
28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
Yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are stately in their march,
Even four which are stately when they walk:
30 The lion which is (AJ)mighty among the animals
And does not (AK)turn back before any,
31 The [h]strutting rooster, the male goat also,
And a king when his army is with him.

32 If you have been wickedly foolish in lifting yourself up,
Or if you have schemed evil, (AL)put your hand on your mouth.
33 For pressing milk brings forth butter,
And pressing the nose brings forth blood;
And pressing (AM)anger brings forth strife.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 30:1 Or burden
  2. Proverbs 30:4 Lit the
  3. Proverbs 30:4 Lit raised up
  4. Proverbs 30:5 Or tried, cf. 2 Sam 22:31; Ps 18:30
  5. Proverbs 30:9 Lit take hold of
  6. Proverbs 30:23 Lit a hated
  7. Proverbs 30:26 Small, shy, furry animals (Hyrax syriacus)
  8. Proverbs 30:31 Lit girt in the loins

The Wisdom of Agur

30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

(A)Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man.
I neither learned wisdom
Nor have (B)knowledge of the Holy One.

(C)Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
(D)Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?

(E)Every word of God is [a]pure;
(F)He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
(G)Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
(H)Feed me with the food allotted to me;
(I)Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not malign a servant to his master,
Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that curses its (J)father,
And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation (K)that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation—oh, how (L)lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are [b]lifted up.
14 (M)There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
(N)To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters—
Give and Give!

There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four never say, “Enough!”:
16 (O)The[c] grave,
The barren womb,
The earth that is not satisfied with water—
And the fire never says, “Enough!”

17 (P)The eye that mocks his father,
And scorns obedience to his mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yes, four which I do not understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the [d]midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.

20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wickedness.”

21 For three things the earth is perturbed,
Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
22 (Q)For a servant when he reigns,
A fool when he is filled with food,
23 A [e]hateful woman when she is married,
And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

24 There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 (R)The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 (S)The [f]rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
28 The [g]spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are majestic in pace,
Yes, four which are stately in walk:
30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts
And does not turn away from any;
31 A [h]greyhound,
A male goat also,
And [i]a king whose troops are with him.

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
Or if you have devised evil, (T)put your hand on your mouth.
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter,
And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 30:5 tested, refined, found pure
  2. Proverbs 30:13 In arrogance
  3. Proverbs 30:16 Or Sheol
  4. Proverbs 30:19 Lit. heart
  5. Proverbs 30:23 Or hated
  6. Proverbs 30:26 rock hyraxes
  7. Proverbs 30:28 Or lizard
  8. Proverbs 30:31 Or perhaps strutting rooster, lit. girded of waist
  9. Proverbs 30:31 A Jewish tradition a king against whom there is no uprising

30 Dichos de Agur, hijo de Jaqué de Masá. Agur habló a Itiel y a Ucal de la siguiente manera:

Soy el más estúpido de los hombres,
no hay en mí entendimiento humano.
No he adquirido sabiduría,
ni sé nada acerca del Santísimo.
¿Quién ha subido y bajado del cielo?
¿Quién puede contener el viento en su puño?
¿Quién envuelve al mar en su capa?
¿Quién estableció los límites de la tierra?
¡No me digas que sabes su nombre,
y aun el nombre de su hijo!

El Señor protege a los que en él confían;
todas sus promesas son dignas de confianza.
No añadas nada a lo que él diga;
de lo contrario, te puede reprender
y te hará quedar como mentiroso.

Sólo dos cosas te he pedido, oh Dios;
concédemelas antes de que muera:
aleja de mí la falsedad y la mentira,
y no me hagas rico ni pobre;
dame sólo el pan necesario,
porque si me sobra, podría renegar de ti
y decir que no te conozco;
y si me falta, podría robar
y ofender así tu divino nombre.

10 No hables mal del esclavo delante de su amo,
pues te puede maldecir y sufrirás las consecuencias.

11 Hay quienes maldicen a su padre
y no bendicen a su madre.
12 Hay quienes se creen muy limpios,
y no se han limpiado de sus impurezas.
13 Hay quienes se creen importantes,
y miran a otros con altanería.
14 Hay quienes tienen espadas en vez de dientes
y puñales en vez de muelas,
para acabar por completo
con la gente pobre del país.

15 Dos hijas tiene la sanguijuela,
que sólo saben pedir.

Hay tres cosas, y hasta cuatro,
que nunca se satisfacen:
16 el sepulcro,
la mujer estéril,
la tierra falta de agua
y el fuego insatisfecho.

17 El que mira a su padre con desprecio
y se burla de su madre anciana,
merece que los cuervos le saquen los ojos
y que las águilas lo devoren.

18 Hay tres cosas, y hasta cuatro,
que me asombran y no alcanzo a comprender:
19 el camino del águila en el cielo,
el camino de la víbora en las rocas,
el camino de un barco en alta mar
y el camino del hombre en la mujer.

20 La mujer infiel hace lo siguiente:
come, se limpia la boca
y afirma que no ha hecho nada malo.

21 Hay tres tipos de gente, y hasta cuatro,
que son insoportables y hacen temblar a un país:
22 el esclavo que llega a ser rey,
el tonto que tiene comida de sobra,
23 la mujer despreciada que encuentra marido
y la esclava que toma el lugar de su señora.

24 Hay cuatro animalitos en la tierra
que son más sabios que los sabios:
25 las hormigas, gran ejército sin fuerza
que asegura su comida en el verano;
26 los tejones, grupo no muy numeroso
que vive entre las peñas;
27 las langostas, que sin tener rey
marchan en orden perfecto;
28 las lagartijas, que caben en un puño
y llegan hasta el palacio del rey.

29 Hay tres valientes, y hasta cuatro,
que tienen un paso airoso:
30 el león, el animal más terrible,
que no huye ante nada ni ante nadie;
31 el gallo orgulloso, el macho cabrío
y el rey que marcha al frente de su ejército.

32 Si tontamente te has dado importancia
y has hecho planes malvados, ponte a pensar
33 que si bates la leche, obtendrás mantequilla,
si te suenas fuerte, te sangrará la nariz,
y si irritas a otro, acabarás en una pelea.

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]
Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
    I do not have human understanding.
I have not learned wisdom,
    nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.(B)
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!

“Every word of God is flawless;(H)
    he is a shield(I) to those who take refuge in him.
Do not add(J) to his words,
    or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

“Two things I ask of you, Lord;
    do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.(K)
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

  1. Proverbs 30:1 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text utterance to Ithiel, / to Ithiel and Ukal:
  2. Proverbs 30:31 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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.