Chapter 30

¹ These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.

² For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men. ³ God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy. ⁴ Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his ¹bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children? ⁵ For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him. ⁶ Add not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be made a liar.

⁷ Two things I ask of thee; take not favour from me before I die. ⁸ Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth or poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient: ⁹ lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear vainly by the name of God.

¹⁰ Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be utterly destroyed. ¹¹ A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother. ¹² A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way. ¹³ A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids. ¹⁴ A wicked generation have swords for teeth and jaw-teeth as knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them from among men.

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²³ And this thing I say to you that are wise for you to learn: It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. ²⁴ He that says of the ungodly, He is righteous, shall be cursed by peoples, and hateful among the nations. ²⁵ But they that reprove him shall appear more excellent, and blessing shall come upon them; ²⁶ and men will kiss lips that answer well. ²⁷ Prepare thy works for thy going forth, and prepare thyself for the field; and come after me, and thou shalt rebuild thine house. ²⁸ Be not a false witness against thy fellow citizen, neither exaggerate with thy lips. ²⁹ Say not, As he has treated me, so will I treat him, and I will avenge myself on him for that wherein he has injured me. ³⁰ A foolish man is like a farm, and a senseless man is like a vineyard. ³¹ If thou let him alone, he will altogether remain barren and covered with ²weeds; and he becomes destitute, and his stone walls are broken down. ³² Afterwards I reflected, I looked that I might receive instruction. ³³ The sluggard says,I slumber a little, and I sleep a little, and for a little while I fold my arms across my breast. ³⁴ But if thou do this, thy poverty will come speedily; and thy want like a swift courier.

¹⁵ The horse-leech had three dearly-beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough. ¹⁶ The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is enough.

¹⁷ The eye that laughs to scorn a father, and dishonours the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it. ¹⁸ Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not: ¹⁹ the track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth. ²⁰ Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing ³amiss.

²¹ By three thing the earth is troubled, and the fourth it cannot bear: ²² if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food; ²³ or if a maid-servant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man.

²⁴ And there are four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise: ²⁵ the ants which are weak, and yet prepare their food in summer; ²⁶ the rabbits also are a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks. ²⁷ The locusts have no king, and yet march orderly at one command. ²⁸ And the eft, which supports itself by its hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings.

²⁹ And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely. ³⁰ A lion’s whelp, stronger than all other beasts, which turns not away, nor fears any beast; ³¹ and a cock walking in boldly among the hens, and the goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation.

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³² If thou abandon thyself to mirth, and stretch forth thine hand in a quarrel, thou shalt be disgraced. ³³ Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if thou wing one’s nostrils there shall come out blood: so if thou extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes.