Proverbs 30 - Easy To Read Version

¹ These are the wise sayings of Agur son of Jakeh. This is his message to Ithiel and Ucal: {\cf2\super [38]}

² I am the worst person on earth. I am not able to understand like I should.

³ I have not learned to be wise. And I know nothing about God.

⁴ No person has ever learned about the things from heaven. No person has ever caught the wind in his hand. No person has ever held water in a piece of cloth. No person can ever really know the limits of the earth. If any person can do these things, who is he? Where is his family?

⁵ Every word that God says is perfect. God is a safe place for people who go to him.

⁶ So, don’t try to change the things God says. If you do, he will punish you and prove that you tell lies.

⁷ Lord, I ask you to do two things for me before I die.

⁸ Don’t let me tell lies. And don’t make me too rich or too poor—only give me the things I need each day.

⁹ If I have more than I need, then I will think I don’t need you. But if I am poor then I might steal. Then I will bring shame to the name of God.

¹⁰ Never say bad things against a servant to his master. If you do, the master will not believe you. He will think you are guilty.

¹¹ Some people speak against their fathers. And they don’t show respect for their mothers.

¹² Some people think they are good but they are really very bad.

¹³ Some people think they are very good. They think they are much better than other people.

¹⁴ There are people whose teeth are like swords. Their jaws are like knives. They use their time to take everything they can from poor people.

¹⁵ Some people want to take everything they can get. All they say is, “Give me, give me, give me.” There are three things that are never satisfied—really four things that never have enough:

¹⁶ The place of death, a woman with no children, dry ground that needs rain, and a hot fire that can’t be stopped.

¹⁷ Any person who makes fun of his father or refuses to obey his mother will be punished. It will be as bad for him as if his eyes were eaten by vultures and wild birds.

¹⁸ There are three things that are hard for me to understand—really four things that I don’t understand:

¹⁹ An eagle flying in the sky, a snake moving on a rock, a ship moving across the ocean, and a man in love with a woman.

²⁰ A woman who is not faithful to her husband acts like she has done nothing wrong. She eats, takes a bath, and says she has done nothing wrong.

²¹ There are three things that make trouble on the earth—really four that the earth can’t bear:

²² A servant that becomes a king, a foolish person that has everything he needs,

²³ a woman who is full of hate but still finds a husband, and a servant girl that becomes ruler over the woman she serves.

²⁴ There are four things on the earth that are small but very wise:

²⁵ Ants are small and weak, but they save their food all summer;\par

²⁶ a badger is a small animal, but it is able to make its home in the rocks;\par

²⁷ locusts have no king, but they are able to work together;\par

²⁸ lizards are small enough to catch with your hands but you can find them living in kings’ homes.\par

²⁹ There are three things that act important when they walk. In fact, there are four:

³⁰ A lion (He is the warrior of the animal kingdom. He runs from nothing.);\par

³¹ a rooster walking proudly; {\cf2\super [39]} \par a goat;\par and a king among his people.\par

³² If you are foolish enough to become proud and make plans against other people, then stop and think about what you are doing.

³³ If a person churns {\cf2\super [40]} milk, he makes butter. If a person hits another person’s nose, then blood will come. In the same way, if you make people angry you will cause trouble.