Proverbs 30

1The words of Agur, son of Jakeh. Agur’s prophetic revelation.

Agur Speaks about God

This man’s declaration:

“I’m weary, O God.

I’m weary and worn out, O God.

2I’m more ⌞like⌟ a dumb animal than a human being.

I don’t ⌞even⌟ have human understanding.

3I haven’t learned wisdom.

I don’t have knowledge of the Holy One.

4“Who has gone up to heaven and come down?

Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand?

Who has wrapped water in a garment?

Who has set up the earth from one end to the other?

What is his name or the name of his son?

Certainly, you must know!

5“All of God’s word has proven to be true.

He is a shield to those who come to him for protection.

6Do not add to his words,

or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar.

A Prayer

7“I’ve asked you for two things.

Don’t keep them from me before I die:

8Keep vanity and lies far away from me.

Don’t give me either poverty or riches.

Feed me ⌞only⌟ the food I need,

9or I may feel satisfied and deny you

and say, ‘Who is the Lord ?’

or I may become poor and steal

and give the name of my God a bad reputation.

Against Slander

10“Do not slander a slave to his master.

The slave will curse you,

and you will be found guilty.”

Four Kinds of People

11A certain kind of person curses his father

and does not bless his mother.

12A certain kind of person thinks he is pure

but is not washed from his own feces.

13A certain kind of person looks around arrogantly

and is conceited.

14A certain kind of person,

whose teeth are like swords

and whose jaws are ⌞like⌟ knives,

devours oppressed people from the earth

and people from among humanity.

Human Bloodsuckers

15The bloodsucking leech has two daughters—“Give!” and “Give!”

Four Things That Are Never Satisfied

Three things are never satisfied.

Four never say, “Enough!”:

16the grave,

a barren womb,

a land that never gets enough water,

a fire that does not say, “Enough!”

Disrespectful Children—Their Punishment

17The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a mother

will be plucked out by ravens in the valley and eaten by young vultures.

Four Things of Intrigue

18Three things are too amazing to me,

even four that I cannot understand:

19an eagle making its way through the sky,

a snake making its way over a rock,

a ship making its way through high seas,

a man making his way with a virgin.

About the Woman Who Commits Adultery

20This is the way of a woman who commits adultery:

She eats, wipes her mouth,

and says, “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

Four Things That Are Intolerable

21Three things cause the earth to tremble,

even four it cannot bear up under:

22a slave when he becomes king,

a godless fool when he is filled with food,

23a woman who is unloved when she gets married,

a maid when she replaces her mistress.

Four Things That Are Small—Yet Smart and Strong

24Four things on earth are small,

yet they are very wise:

25Ants are not a strong species,

yet they store their food in summer.

26Rock badgers are not a mighty species,

yet they make their home in the rocks.

27Locusts have no king,

yet all of them divide into swarms by instinct.

28A lizard you can hold in your hands,

yet it can even be found in royal palaces.

Four Things That Move with Dignity

29There are three things that walk with dignity,

even four that march with dignity:

30a lion, mightiest among animals, which turns away from nothing,

31a strutting rooster,

a male goat,

a king at the head of his army.

Keep Calm and Quiet

32If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself,

or if you scheme,

you had better put your hand over your mouth.

33As churning milk produces butter

and punching a nose produces blood,

so stirring up anger produces a fight.

GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Published by: God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society, Inc.