The Words of Agur

Proverbs 30

1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. 1
The man declares, I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and worn out. 2
2 Surely I am too m stupid to be a man.
I have not the understanding of a man.
 3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge of n the Holy One.
 4 Who has o ascended to heaven and come down?
Who has p gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has q wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Who has established all r the ends of the earth?
s What is his name, and what is his son's name?
Surely you know!

5 t Every word of God proves true;
he is u a shield to those who take refuge in him.
 6 v Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

7 Two things I ask of you;
deny them not to me w before I die:
 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is x needful for me,
 9 lest I be y full and z deny you
and say, a "Who is the Lord?"
or lest I be poor and steal
b and profane the name of my God.

10 c Do not slander a servant to his master,
d lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

11 There are those 3 who e curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers.
 12 There are those who are f clean in their own eyes
but are not washed of their filth.
 13 There are those - how g lofty are their eyes,
how high their eyelids lift!
 14 There are those whose teeth are h swords,
whose i fangs are knives,
to j devour the poor from off the earth,
the needy from among mankind.

15 The leech has two daughters:
Give and Give. 4
k Three things are never satisfied;
k four never say, "Enough":
 16 l Sheol, m the barren womb,
the land never satisfied with water,
and the fire that never says, "Enough."

17 The eye that n mocks a father
and o scorns to obey a mother
will p be picked out by q the ravens of the valley
and eaten by the vultures.

18 k Three things are r too wonderful for me;
k four I do not understand:
 19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a serpent on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a virgin.

20 This is the way of an adulteress:
she eats and wipes her mouth
and says, "I have done no wrong."

21 Under k three things s the earth trembles;
under k four it cannot bear up:
 22 t a slave when he becomes king,
and a fool when he is u filled with food;
 23 v an unloved woman when she w gets a husband,
and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.

24 k Four things on earth are small,
but they are exceedingly wise:
 25 x the ants are a people not strong,
yet they provide their food in the summer;
 26 y the rock badgers are a people not mighty,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
 27 the locusts have no z king,
yet all of them march in a rank;
 28 the lizard you can take in your hands,
yet it is in kings' palaces.

29 b Three things are stately in their tread;
b four are stately in their stride:
 30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts
and c does not turn back before any;
 31 the d strutting rooster, 5 the he-goat,
and a king whose army is with him. 6

32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
or if you have been devising evil,
e put your hand on your mouth.
 33 For pressing milk produces curds,
pressing the nose produces blood,
and pressing anger produces strife.

  1. Cross References
    Psalms 49:10
    For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.
  2. Cross References
    Proverbs 9:10
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
  3. Cross References
    John 3:13
    No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
  4. Cross References
    Isaiah 40:12
    Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?
    Job 38:4 - 11
    Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
    Psalms 104:3 - 6
    He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind.
  5. Cross References
    Job 26:8
    He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them.
  6. Cross References
    Psalms 22:27
    All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
  7. Cross References
    Revelation 19:12
    His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
  8. Cross References
    Psalms 12:6
    The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
    Psalms 18:30
    This God - his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
  9. Cross References
    Psalms 3:3
    But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
  10. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:2
    You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.
    Deuteronomy 12:32
    Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.
    Revelation 22:18
    I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 45:28
    And Israel said, "It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.
  12. Cross References
    Job 23:12
    I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
    Matthew 6:11
    Give us this day our daily bread.
    Luke 11:3
    Give us each day our daily bread.
  13. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 8:12
    Lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them.
    Deuteronomy 31:20
    For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.
    Deuteronomy 32:15
    But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.
    Nehemiah 9:25
    And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness.
    Proverbs 30:22
    A slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food.
  14. Cross References
    Joshua 24:27
    And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.
  15. Cross References
    Exodus 5:2
    But Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.
  16. Cross References
    Job 21:14 - 15
    They say to God, 'Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
    Exodus 20:7
    You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
  17. Cross References
    Psalms 15:3
    Who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend.
    Psalms 101:5
    Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
  18. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 7:21
    Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.
  19. Cross References
    Proverbs 20:20
    If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
    Proverbs 30:17
    The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
    Exodus 21:17
    Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
  20. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:2
    All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.
    Luke 18:11
    The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
    Revelation 3:17
    For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
  21. Cross References
    Psalms 101:5
    Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
  22. Cross References
    Psalms 57:4
    My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts - the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
  23. Cross References
    Job 29:17
    I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
  24. Cross References
    Psalms 14:4
    Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord ?
  25. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:18
    Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
    Proverbs 30:21
    Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
    Proverbs 30:29
    Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:
    Proverbs 6:16
    There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
  26. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:18
    Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
    Proverbs 30:21
    Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
    Proverbs 30:29
    Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:
    Proverbs 6:16
    There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
  27. Cross References
    Proverbs 27:20
    Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
  28. Cross References
    Genesis 30:1
    When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!
  29. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:11
    There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
    Genesis 9:22
    And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside.
  30. Cross References
    Proverbs 23:22
    Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
  31. Cross References
    Numbers 16:14
    Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.
  32. Cross References
    Jeremiah 16:4
    They shall die of deadly diseases. They shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. They shall perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth.
  33. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:15
    The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
  34. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:15
    The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
  35. Cross References
    Job 42:3
    Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
  36. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:15
    The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
  37. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:15
    The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
  38. Cross References
    Joel 2:10
    The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
    Amos 8:8
    Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who dwells in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?
  39. Cross References
    Proverbs 19:10
    It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes.
  40. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:9
    Lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the Lord ?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
  41. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 21:15
    If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved.
  42. Cross References
    Isaiah 54:1
    Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married," says the Lord.
    Isaiah 62:4
    You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.
  43. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:15
    The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
  44. Cross References
    Proverbs 6:6 - 8
    Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
  45. Cross References
    Leviticus 11:5
    And the rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you.
    Psalms 104:18
    The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
  46. Cross References
    Proverbs 6:7
    Without having any chief, officer, or ruler.
  47. Cross References
    Joel 2:7 - 8
    Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths.
    Joel 2:25
    I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
  48. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:15
    The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
    Proverbs 30:18
    Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
    Proverbs 30:21
    Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
    Proverbs 6:16
    There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
  49. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:15
    The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
    Proverbs 30:18
    Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:
    Proverbs 30:21
    Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
    Proverbs 6:16
    There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
  50. Cross References
    Job 39:22
    He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword.
  51. Cross References
    Job 40:16
    Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly.
  52. Cross References
    Micah 7:16
    The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hands on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf.
    Job 21:5
    Look at me and be appalled, and lay your hand over your mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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