Proverbs 30

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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.	1 The words of the Gatherer, the son of the Vomiter. The vision that the man spoke. God is with him, and he, being strengthened by God and abiding with him, said:
2 Why, I am the most stupid of men, and have not even human intelligence;	2 “I am the most foolish among men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy One.	3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.
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?"	4 Who has ascended to heaven and also descended? Who has grasped the wind in his hands? Who has tied the waters together, as with a garment? Who has raised all the limits of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son, if you know?
5 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.	5 Every word of God is fire-tested. He is a bronze shield to those who hope in him.
6 Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver.	6 Do not add anything to his words, lest you be reproved and be discovered to be a liar.
7 Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die:	7 Two things I have asked of you; do not deny them to me before I die.
8 Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; (provide me only with the food I need;)	8 Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words. Give me neither begging, nor wealth. Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,
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.	9 lest perhaps, being filled, I might be enticed into denial, and say: ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or, being compelled by destitution, I might steal, and then perjure myself in the name of my God.
10 Slander not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you have to pay the penalty.	10 Do not accuse a servant to his lord, lest he curse you, and you fall.
11 There is a group of people that curses its father, and blesses not its mother.	11 There is a generation which curses their father, and which does not bless their mother.
12 There is a group that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not purged of its filth.	12 There is a generation which seems pure to themselves, and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a group--how haughty their eyes! how overbearing their glance!	13 There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated, and their eyelids are lifted on high.
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.	14 There is a generation which has swords in place of teeth, and which commands their molars to devour the indigent from the earth and the poor from among men.
15 The two daughters of the leech are, "Give, Give." Three things are never satisfied, four never say, "Enough!"	15 The leech has two daughters, who say, ‘Bring, bring.’ Three things are insatiable, and a fourth never says ‘Enough’:
16 The nether world, and the barren womb; the earth, that is never saturated with water, and fire, that never says, "Enough!"	16 Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and a land that is not filled with water. And truly, fire never says, ‘Enough.’
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.	17 The eye of one who mocks his father and who despises the childbearing of his mother, let the ravens of the torrent tear it out, and let the sons of the eagles consume it.
18 Three things are too wonderful for me, yes, four I cannot understand:	18 Three things are difficult for me, and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:
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.	19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man in adolescence.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."	20 Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, who eats, and wiping her mouth, says: “I have done no evil.”
21 Under three things the earth trembles, yes, under four it cannot bear up:	21 By three things, the earth is moved, and a fourth it is not able to sustain:
22 Under a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is glutted with food;	22 by a slave when he reigns, by the foolish when he has been filled with food,
23 Under an odious woman when she is wed, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.	23 by a hateful woman when she has been taken in matrimony, and by a handmaid when she has been heir to her mistress.
24 Four things are among the smallest on the earth, and yet are exceedingly wise:	24 Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 Ants--a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer;	25 the ants, an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,
26 Rock-badgers--a species not mighty, yet they make their home in the crags;	26 the rabbit, a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.
27 Locusts--they have no king, yet they migrate all in array;	27 The locust has no king, but they all depart by their troops.
28 Lizards--you can catch them with your hands, yet they find their way into king's palaces.	28 The lizard supports itself on hands and dwells in the buildings of kings.
29 Three things are stately in their stride, yes, four are stately in their carriage:	29 There are three things that advance well, and a fourth that marches happily on:
30 The lion, mightiest of beasts, who retreats before nothing;	30 a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,
31 The strutting cock, and the he-goat, and the king at the head of his people.	31 a rooster prepared at the loins, likewise a ram, and a king, whom none can resist.
32 If you have foolishly been proud or presumptuous--put your hand on your mouth;	32 There is one who has appeared foolish, after he was lifted up on high; for if he had understood, he would have placed his hand over his mouth.
33 For the stirring of milk brings forth curds, and the stirring of anger brings forth blood.	33 But whoever strongly squeezes the udder to bring out the milk, presses out butter. And whoever violently blows his nose, brings out blood. And whoever provokes wrath, brings forth discord.”