Proverbs 30

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

Agur, Jakeh's son, passionately shared his prophecy. He spoke earnestly to Ithiel, addressing both Ithiel and Ucal with deep conviction.

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

Indeed, I feel less wise than anyone else, unable to grasp the simplest human understanding.

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

I've never truly grasped wisdom, nor do I understand the divine.

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?

Who has journeyed to the heavens and back? Who can hold the wind in their hands? Who can wrap up the oceans like a cloak? Who has set the boundaries of the earth? Do you know their name, or the name of their child?

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

Every single utterance from God is pure truth: He serves as a protective barrier for those who place their faith in Him.

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

Don't add to what God has said, or He'll correct you and expose your lies.

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

I ask only two things of you; please, don't deny me before my end:

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

Keep me away from deceit and falsehood; don't make me too poor or too rich, but provide me with just enough to sustain 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.

If I have too much, I might forget you, asking, "Who is God?" If I have too little, I might steal, disrespecting your name.

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

Don't blame a worker in front of their boss, or they will curse you, and you'll be the one found guilty.

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

There exists a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

There are people who believe they are pure, yet they remain tainted by their own wrongdoings.

There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

There exists a generation, oh how arrogant they appear! Their eyes are filled with pride and their gaze is condescending.

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.

There exists a group of people whose teeth are like swords and whose jaws are like knives, devouring the poor from the earth and the needy from among people.

The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

The insatiable leech has two offspring, constantly pleading for more. There are three, no, four things that are never content, always yearning for more.

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

The unquenchable thirst of the grave, the longing of an empty womb, the parched earth yearning for rain, and the insatiable fire that never says, "I've had enough."

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.

If you mock your father and refuse to obey your mother, the ravens of the valley will pluck out your eye and the young eagles will eat it.

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

Three things utterly amaze me, and a fourth I simply cannot comprehend:

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.

The grace of an eagle soaring in the sky; the stealth of a snake slithering on a rock; the journey of a ship navigating the vast ocean; and the tender dance of a man courting a woman.

Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

This is the way of an adulterous woman; she indulges in sin, wipes her mouth clean, and claims innocence.

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

The earth trembles for three reasons, and it can't stand four things:

For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

When a servant becomes a king, and a fool is full from a feast.

For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

When an unloved woman finally gets married, or a servant girl inherits her mistress's fortune, it's a bitter pill to swallow.

There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

There are four tiny creatures on earth, yet they are incredibly wise:

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

Though ants may seem small and weak, they wisely gather their food during the summer.

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

Though rock badgers are small and weak, they still find strength to build their homes in the sturdy rocks.

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

Even without a leader, the locusts unite and move together in harmony.

The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.

With her delicate hands, the spider weaves her home, even in the grandeur of a king's palace.

There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

Three things move gracefully, indeed, four are beautiful in motion:

A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

The lion, the mightiest of all creatures, fearless and undeterred by anything.

A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

A swift greyhound, a determined he-goat, and an unchallenged king.

If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

If you've acted foolishly in arrogance, or harbored harmful thoughts, quickly silence yourself.

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.

Just as stirring milk creates butter and squeezing a nose causes bleeding, forcing anger only leads to conflict.