30

There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son"s name, if thou canst tell?

I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.

LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.