(KJV) Proverbs 30¹

⥃The Words of Agur

[1] The words of Agur² the son of Jakeh, [even³] the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, [2] Surely I [am⁴] more brutish⁵ than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man. [3] I neither⁶ learned wisdom, nor⁷ have⁸ the knowledge of the holy⁹. [4] Who hath ascended¹⁰ up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered¹¹ 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 name¹², and what¹³ [is] his son’s name, if thou canst tell? [5] Every word¹⁴ of God [is] pure¹⁵: he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust in him. [6] Add¹⁶ thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and¹⁷ thou be found a liar. [7] Two [things] have¹⁸ I required of thee; deny me [them] not¹⁹ before I die: [8] Remove²⁰ far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed²¹ me with food convenient for me²²: [9] Lest I be full²³, and deny [thee²⁴], and say, Who²⁵ [is] the Lor²⁶d? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name²⁷ of my God [in vain]. [10] Accuse not²⁸ a servant unto his master, lest²⁹ he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. [11] [There is] a generation³⁰ [that] curseth³¹ their father, and doth³² not bless their mother. [12] [There is] a generation [that are³³] pure in their own eyes, and [yet] is not³⁴ washed from their filthiness. [13] [There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.³⁵ [14] [There is] a generation, whose³⁶ teeth [are as] swords, and their jaw teeth [as] knives, to devour³⁷ the poor from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men. [15] The horseleach³⁸ hath two daughters, [crying], Give³⁹, give. There⁴⁰ are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yea], four [things] say not, [It is] enough⁴¹: [16] The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] saith not, [It is] enough.⁴² [17] The eye⁴³ [that] mocketh at [his] father, and despiseth to obey [his] mother, the ravens⁴⁴ of the valley⁴⁵ shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. [18] There be three [things which] are too⁴⁶ wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: [19] The way of an⁴⁷ eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst⁴⁸ of the sea; and the⁴⁹ 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.⁵⁰ [21] For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear: [22] For a servant⁵¹ when he reigneth; and a fool⁵² when he is filled with meat; [23] For an odious⁵³ [woman] when she is married; and an handmaid⁵⁴ that is heir to her mistress. [24] There be four [things which are] little⁵⁵ upon the earth, but they [are] exceeding wise⁵⁶: [25] The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;⁵⁷⁵⁸ [26] The conies [are but] a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;⁵⁹ [27] The locusts⁶⁰ have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands⁶¹; [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;⁶² [31] A greyhound⁶³; an he goat also; and a king, against⁶⁴ whom [there is] no rising up. [32] If thou hast done⁶⁵ foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay⁶⁶] thine hand upon thy mouth. [33] Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so⁶⁷ the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.