Proverbs 30
33 verses
Chapter 30 presents the words of Agur son of Jakeh, described as an oracle, and features a series of numerical sayings that catalog various human behaviors and natural phenomena, offering a unique voice that emphasizes epistemological humility and wonder at creation. The chapter opens with Agur confessing his own ignorance and perhaps questioning whether he has knowledge and understanding of the holy, an unusual moment of genuine doubt and intellectual honesty that contrasts with the confident voice of most of Proverbs. The chapter then presents a series of "Four things" sayings: the way of an eagle in the sky, of a serpent on a rock, of a ship on the sea, and of a man with a virgin (their ways are unknowable); four things the earth finds unbearable—a slave who becomes king, a fool who is sated with food, a hated woman who is married, and a servant girl who succeeds her mistress; four things that are small but exceedingly wise. Memorable images include the ants that have no leader yet prepare food in summer; the badgers that are small yet make their home in the rocks; and the stately things—the lion, the war-horse, the he-goat, and the king. The chapter concludes with a numerical saying about the leech and the cry of "give, give" and a meditation on things insatiable and restless. Chapter 30 stands apart from the rest of Proverbs in its tone of wonder and confession, offering wisdom that acknowledges its own limits and celebrates the inscrutability of creation's ways.
VERSES IN THIS CHAPTER
1
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
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2
Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
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3
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
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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?
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5
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
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6
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
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7
Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
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8
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
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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.
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10
Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
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11
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
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12
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
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13
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
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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.
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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:
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16
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
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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.
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18
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
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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.
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20
Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
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21
For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
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22
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
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23
For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
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24
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
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25
The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
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26
The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
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27
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
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28
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
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29
There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
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30
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
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31
A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
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32
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
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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.
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