Proverbs 30

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:	1 The words of Agur, son of Jakeh the Massaite: The pronouncement of mortal man: "I am not God; I am not God, that I should prevail.
2 I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.	2 Why, I am the most stupid of men, and have not even human intelligence;
3 I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.	3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?	4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down again-- who has cupped the wind in his hands? Who has bound up the waters in a cloak-- who has marked out all the ends of the earth? What is his name, what is his son's name, if you know it?"
5 Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.	5 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar:	6 Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver.
7 Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.	7 Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:	8 Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; (provide me only with the food I need;)
9 Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.	9 Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God.
10 Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.	10 Slander not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you have to pay the penalty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.	11 There is a group of people that curses its father, and blesses not its mother.
12 A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.	12 There is a group that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not purged of its filth.
13 A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.	13 There is a group--how haughty their eyes! how overbearing their glance!
14 A generation, that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor from among men.	14 There is a group whose incisors are swords, whose teeth are knives, Devouring the needy from the earth, and the poor from among men.
15 The horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.	15 The two daughters of the leech are, "Give, Give." Three things are never satisfied, four never say, "Enough!"
16 Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough.	16 The nether world, and the barren womb; the earth, that is never saturated with water, and fire, that never says, "Enough!"
17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.	17 The eye that mocks a father, or scorns an aged mother, Will be plucked out by the ravens in the valley; the young eagles will devour it.
18 Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.	18 Three things are too wonderful for me, yes, four I cannot understand:
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 in youth.	19 The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, The way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20 Such is also the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.	20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."
21 By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:	21 Under three things the earth trembles, yes, under four it cannot bear up:
22 By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:	22 Under a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is glutted with food;
23 By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.	23 Under an odious woman when she is wed, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.
24 There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:	24 Four things are among the smallest on the earth, and yet are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:	25 Ants--a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:	26 Rock-badgers--a species not mighty, yet they make their home in the crags;
27 The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands.	27 Locusts--they have no king, yet they migrate all in array;
28 The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings' houses.	28 Lizards--you can catch them with your hands, yet they find their way into king's palaces.
29 There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:	29 Three things are stately in their stride, yes, four are stately in their carriage:
30 A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:	30 The lion, mightiest of beasts, who retreats before nothing;
31 A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.	31 The strutting cock, and the he-goat, and the king at the head of his people.
32 There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.	32 If you have foolishly been proud or presumptuous--put your hand on your mouth;
33 And he that strongly squeezeth the papa to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath bringeth forth strife.	33 For the stirring of milk brings forth curds, and the stirring of anger brings forth blood.