Proverbs 30

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh, of Massa. Prophecy of this man for Ithiel, for Ithiel and for Ucal.	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 myself the stupidest of people, bereft of human intel igence,	2 Why, I am the most stupid of men, and have not even human intelligence;
3 I have not learnt wisdom, and I lack the knowledge of the holy ones.	3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has mounted to the heavens, then come down again? Who has gathered the wind in the clasp ofhis hand? Who has wrapped the waters in his cloak? Who has set al the ends of the earth firm? What is hisname? What is his child's name? Do you know?	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 unal oyed, a shield to those who take refuge in him.	5 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 To his words make no addition, lest he reprove you and account you a liar.	6 Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver.
7 Two things I beg of you, do not grudge me them before I die:	7 Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die:
8 keep falsehood and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, grant me only my share offood,	8 Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; (provide me only with the food I need;)
9 for fear that, surrounded by plenty, I should fall away and say, 'Yahweh-who is Yahweh?' or else, in destitution, take to stealing and profane 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 Do not blacken a slave's name to his master, lest he curse you, and you suffer for it.	10 Slander not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you have to pay the penalty.
11 There is a breed of person that curses his father and does not bless his mother;	11 There is a group of people that curses its father, and blesses not its mother.
12 a breed that, laying claim to purity, has not yet been cleansed of its filth;	12 There is a group that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not purged of its filth.
13 a breed haughty of eye, with disdain in every glance;	13 There is a group--how haughty their eyes! how overbearing their glance!
14 a breed with swords for teeth, with knives for jaws, devouring the oppressed from the earth and theneedy from the land.	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 leech has two daughters: 'Give! Give!' There are three insatiable things, four, indeed, that neversay, 'Enough!'	15 The two daughters of the leech are, "Give, Give." Three things are never satisfied, four never say, "Enough!"
16 Sheol, the barren womb, earth which can never have its fil of water, fire which 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!"
17 The eye which looks jeeringly on a father, and scorns the obedience due to a mother, wil be peckedout by the ravens of the val ey, and eaten by the vultures.	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 There are three things beyond my comprehension, four, indeed, that I do not understand:	18 Three things are too wonderful for me, yes, four I cannot understand:
19 the way of an eagle through the skies, the way of a snake over the rock, the way of a ship in mid-ocean, the way of a man with a girl.	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 This is how an adulteress behaves: she eats, then wipes her mouth and says, 'I have done nothingwrong!'	20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."
21 There are three things at which the earth trembles, four, indeed, which it cannot endure:	21 Under three things the earth trembles, yes, under four it cannot bear up:
22 a slave become king, a brute gorged with food,	22 Under a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is glutted with food;
23 a hateful woman wed at last, a servant girl inheriting from her mistress.	23 Under an odious woman when she is wed, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.
24 There are four creatures little on the earth, though they are wisest of the wise:	24 Four things are among the smallest on the earth, and yet are exceedingly wise:
25 ants, a race with no strength, yet in the summer they make sure of their food;	25 Ants--a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 the coneys, a race without defences, yet they make their home in the rocks;	26 Rock-badgers--a species not mighty, yet they make their home in the crags;
27 locusts, which have no king, yet they al march in good order;	27 Locusts--they have no king, yet they migrate all in array;
28 lizards, which you can catch in your hand, yet they frequent the palaces of kings.	28 Lizards--you can catch them with your hands, yet they find their way into king's palaces.
29 There are three things of stately tread, four, indeed, of stately walk:	29 Three things are stately in their stride, yes, four are stately in their carriage:
30 the lion, bravest of beasts, he wil draw back from nothing;	30 The lion, mightiest of beasts, who retreats before nothing;
31 a vigorous cock, a he-goat, and the king when he harangues his people.	31 The strutting cock, and the he-goat, and the king at the head of his people.
32 If you have been foolish enough to fly into a passion and now have second thoughts, lay your handon your lips.	32 If you have foolishly been proud or presumptuous--put your hand on your mouth;
33 For by churning the milk you produce butter, by wringing the nose you produce blood, and bywhipping up anger you produce strife.	33 For the stirring of milk brings forth curds, and the stirring of anger brings forth blood.