30:1 Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: -- I have wearied myself `for' God, I have wearied myself `for' God, and am consumed.
30:2 For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.
30:3 Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.
30:4 Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What `is' His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!
30:5 Every saying of God `is' tried, A shield He `is' to those trusting in Him.
30:6 Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.
30:7 Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.
30:8 Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
30:9 Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, `Who `is' Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.
30:10 Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.
30:11 A generation `is', that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.
30:12 A generation -- pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.
30:13 A generation -- how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.
30:14 A generation -- swords `are' their teeth, And knives -- their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from `among' men.
30:15 To the leech `are' two daughters, `Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said `Sufficiency;'
30:16 Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth -- it `is' not satisfied `with' water, And fire -- it hath not said, `Sufficiency,'
30:17 An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.
30:18 Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:
30:19 The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.
30:20 So -- the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, `I have not done iniquity.'
30:21 For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four -- it is not able to bear:
30:22 For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,
30:23 For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.
30:24 Four `are' little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:
30:25 The ants `are' a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,
30:26 Conies `are' a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,
30:27 A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out -- each one shouting,
30:28 A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.
30:29 Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:
30:30 An old lion -- mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,
30:31 A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king -- no rising up with him.
30:32 If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil -- hand to mouth!
30:33 For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!