Proverbs 30

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 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 I am myself the stupidest of people, bereft of human intel igence,	2 “I am the most foolish among men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 I have not learnt wisdom, and I lack the knowledge of the holy ones.	3 I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.
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 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 unal oyed, 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 To his words make no addition, lest he reprove you and account you a liar.	6 Do not add anything to his words, lest you be reproved and be discovered to be a liar.
7 Two things I beg of you, do not grudge me them before I die:	7 Two things I have asked of you; do not deny them 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 Remove, far from me, vanity and lying words. Give me neither begging, nor wealth. Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,
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 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 Do not blacken a slave's name to his master, lest he curse you, and you suffer for it.	10 Do not accuse a servant to his lord, lest he curse you, and you fall.
11 There is a breed of person that curses his father and does not bless his mother;	11 There is a generation which curses their father, and which does not bless their mother.
12 a breed that, laying claim to purity, has not yet been cleansed of its filth;	12 There is a generation which seems pure to themselves, and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.
13 a breed haughty of eye, with disdain in every glance;	13 There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated, and their eyelids are lifted on high.
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 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 leech has two daughters: 'Give! Give!' There are three insatiable things, four, indeed, that neversay, 'Enough!'	15 The leech has two daughters, who say, ‘Bring, bring.’ Three things are insatiable, and a fourth never says ‘Enough’:
16 Sheol, the barren womb, earth which can never have its fil of water, fire which 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 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 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 There are three things beyond my comprehension, four, indeed, that I do not understand:	18 Three things are difficult for me, and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:
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 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 This is how an adulteress behaves: she eats, then wipes her mouth and says, 'I have done nothingwrong!'	20 Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, who eats, and wiping her mouth, says: “I have done no evil.”
21 There are three things at which the earth trembles, four, indeed, which it cannot endure:	21 By three things, the earth is moved, and a fourth it is not able to sustain:
22 a slave become king, a brute gorged with food,	22 by a slave when he reigns, by the foolish when he has been filled with food,
23 a hateful woman wed at last, a servant girl inheriting from 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 There are four creatures little on the earth, though they are wisest of the wise:	24 Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 ants, a race with no strength, yet in the summer they make sure of their food;	25 the ants, an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,
26 the coneys, a race without defences, yet they make their home in the rocks;	26 the rabbit, a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.
27 locusts, which have no king, yet they al march in good order;	27 The locust has no king, but they all depart by their troops.
28 lizards, which you can catch in your hand, yet they frequent the palaces of kings.	28 The lizard supports itself on hands and dwells in the buildings of kings.
29 There are three things of stately tread, four, indeed, of stately walk:	29 There are three things that advance well, and a fourth that marches happily on:
30 the lion, bravest of beasts, he wil draw back from nothing;	30 a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,
31 a vigorous cock, a he-goat, and the king when he harangues his people.	31 a rooster prepared at the loins, likewise a ram, and a king, whom none can resist.
32 If you have been foolish enough to fly into a passion and now have second thoughts, lay your handon your lips.	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 by churning the milk you produce butter, by wringing the nose you produce blood, and bywhipping up anger you produce strife.	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.”