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Proverbs 30

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The pronouncement. [1] ⓖ The man’s oration to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: [2]
2 I am more stupid than any other person, [3] and I lack a human’s ability to understand. ⓗ
3 I have not gained wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. ⓘ
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? ⓙ Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has bound up the waters in a cloak? ⓚ Who has established all the ends of the earth? ⓛ What is his name, and what is the name of his son — if you know? ⓜ
5 Every word of God is pure; [4] ⓝ he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. ⓐ
6 Don’t add to his words, ⓑ or he will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar. ⓒ
7 Two things I ask of you; don’t deny them to me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. ⓓ
9 Otherwise, I might have too much ⓔ and deny you, ⓕ saying, “Who is the LORD?” ⓖ or I might have nothing and steal, ⓗ profaning [5] the name of my God. ⓘ
10 Don’t slander a servant to his master or he will curse you, ⓙ and you will become guilty.
11 There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother. ⓚ
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, ⓛ yet is not washed from its filth.
13 There is a generation — how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks. [6]
14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords, ⓜ whose fangs are knives, ⓝ devouring the oppressed from the land ⓐ and the needy from among mankind.
15 The leech has two daughters: “Give, Give!” Three things ⓑ are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough!”:
16 Sheol; ⓒ a childless womb; ⓓ earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, “Enough!”
17 As for the eye that ridicules a father ⓔ and despises obedience to a mother, may ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures eat it. ⓕ
18 Three things are too wondrous for me; four I can’t understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a young woman.
20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.” ⓖ
21 The earth trembles under three things; it cannot bear up under four:
22 a servant when he becomes king, ⓗ a fool when he is stuffed with food,
23 an unloved woman when she marries, ⓘ and a servant girl when she ousts her queen.
24 Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:
25 ants are not a strong people, yet they store up their food in the summer; ⓙ
26 hyraxes are not a mighty people, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; ⓚ
27 locusts have no king, yet all of them march in ranks; ⓛ
28 a lizard [7] can be caught in your hands, yet it lives in kings’ palaces.
29 Three things are stately in their stride; four are stately in their walk:
30 a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn’t retreat before anything;
31 a strutting rooster; [8] a goat; and a king at the head of his army. [9]
32 If you have been foolish by exalting yourself or if you’ve been scheming, put your hand over your mouth. ⓜ
33 For the churning of milk produces butter, and twisting a nose draws blood, and stirring up anger produces strife. ⓝ