Proverbios 30
Riveduta 1927
1Parole di Agur, figliuolo di Jaké. Sentenze pronunziate da quest’uomo per Itiel, per Itiel ed Ucal.
2Certo, io sono più stupido d’ogni altro, e non ho l’intelligenza d’un uomo.
3Non ho imparato la sapienza, e non ho la conoscenza del Santo.
4Chi è salito in cielo e n’è disceso? Chi ha raccolto il vento nel suo pugno? Chi ha racchiuse l’acque nella sua veste? Chi ha stabilito tutti i confini della terra? Qual è il suo nome e il nome del suo figlio? Lo sai tu?
5Ogni parola di Dio è affinata col fuoco. Egli è uno scudo per chi confida in lui.
6Non aggiunger nulla alle sue parole, ch’egli non t’abbia a riprendere, e tu non sia trovato bugiardo.
7Io t’ho chiesto due cose: non me le rifiutare, prima ch’io muoia:
8allontana da me vanità e parola mendace; non mi dare né povertà né ricchezze, cibami del pane che m’è necessario,
9ond’io, essendo sazio, non giunga a rinnegarti, e a dire: “Chi è l’Eterno?” ovvero, diventato povero, non rubi, e profani il nome del mio Dio.
10Non calunniare il servo presso al suo padrone, ch’ei non ti maledica e tu non abbia a subirne la pena.
11V’è una razza di gente che maledice suo padre e non benedice sua madre.
12V’è una razza di gente che si crede pura, e non è lavata dalla sua sozzura.
13V’è una razza di gente che ha gli occhi alteri e come! e le palpebre superbe.
14V’è una razza di gente i cui denti sono spade e i mascellari, coltelli, per divorare del tutto i miseri sulla terra, e i bisognosi fra gli uomini.
15La mignatta ha due figliuole, che dicono: “Dammi” “dammi!”. Ci son tre cose che non si sazian mai, anzi quattro, che non dicon mai: “Basta!”
16Il soggiorno dei morti, il seno sterile, la terra che non si sazia d’acqua, e il fuoco, che non dice mai: “Basta!”
17L’occhio di chi si fa beffe del padre e disdegna d’ubbidire alla madre, lo caveranno i corvi del torrente, lo divoreranno gli aquilotti.
18Ci son tre cose per me troppo maravigliose; anzi quattro, ch’io non capisco:
19la traccia dell’aquila nell’aria, la traccia del serpente sulla roccia, la traccia della nave in mezzo al mare, la traccia dell’uomo nella giovane.
20Tale è la condotta della donna adultera: essa mangia, si pulisce la bocca, e dice: “Non ho fatto nulla di male!”
21Per tre cose la terra trema, anzi per quattro, che non può sopportare:
22per un servo quando diventa re, per un uomo da nulla quando ha pane a sazietà,
23per una donna, non mai chiesta, quando giunge a maritarsi, e per una serva quando diventa erede della padrona.
24Ci son quattro animali fra i più piccoli della terra, e nondimeno pieni di saviezza:
25le formiche, popolo senza forze, che si preparano il cibo durante l’estate;
26i conigli, popolo non potente, che fissano la loro dimora nelle rocce;
27le locuste, che non hanno re, e procedon tutte, divise per schiere;
28la lucertola, che puoi prender con le mani, eppur si trova nei palazzi dei re.
29Queste tre creature hanno una bella andatura, anche queste quattro hanno un passo magnifico:
30il leone, ch’è il più forte degli animali, e non indietreggia dinanzi ad alcuno;
31il cavallo dai fianchi serrati, il capro, e il re alla testa dei suoi eserciti.
32Se hai agito follemente cercando d’innalzarti, o se hai pensato del male, mettiti la mano sulla bocca;
33perché, come chi sbatte la panna ne fa uscire il burro, chi comprime il naso ne fa uscire il sangue, così chi spreme l’ira ne fa uscire contese.
Reina-Valera 1909
1PALABRAS de Agur, hijo de Jachê: La profecía que dijo el varón á Ithiel, á Ithiel y á Ucal.
2Ciertamente más rudo soy yo que ninguno, ni tengo entendimiento de hombre.
3Yo ni aprendí sabiduría, ni conozco la ciencia del Santo.
4¿Quién subió al cielo, y descendió? ¿quién encerró los vientos en sus puños? ¿quién ató las aguas en un paño? ¿quién afirmó todos los términos de la tierra? ¿cuál es su nombre, y el nombre de su hijo, si sabes?
5Toda palabra de Dios es limpia; es escudo á los que en él esperan.
6No añadas á sus palabras, porque no te reprenda, y seas hallado mentiroso.
7Dos cosas te he demandado; no me las niegues antes que muera.
8Vanidad y palabra mentirosa aparta de mí. No me des pobreza ni riquezas; manténme del pan que he menester;
9No sea que me harte, y te niegue, y diga, ¿Quién es Jehová? ó no sea que siendo pobre, hurte, y blasfeme el nombre de mi Dios.
10No acuses al siervo ante su señor, porque no te maldiga, y peques.
11Hay generación que maldice á su padre, y á su madre no bendice.
12Hay generación limpia en su opinión, si bien no se ha limpiado su inmundicia.
13Hay generación cuyos ojos son altivos, y cuyos párpados son alzados.
14Hay generación cuyos dientes son espadas, y sus muelas cuchillos, para devorar á los pobres de la tierra, y de entre los hombres á los menesterosos.
15La sanguijuela tiene dos hijas que se llaman, Trae, trae. Tres cosas hay que nunca se hartan; aun la cuarta nunca dice, Basta:
16El sepulcro, y la matriz estéril, la tierra no harta de aguas, y el fuego que jamás dice, Basta.
17El ojo que escarnece á su padre, y menosprecia la enseñanza de la madre, los cuervos lo saquen de la arroyada, y tráguenlo los hijos del águila.
18Tres cosas me son ocultas; aun tampoco sé la cuarta:
19El rastro del águila en el aire; el rastro de la culebra sobre la peña; el rastro de la nave en medio de la mar; y el rastro del hombre en la moza.
20Tal es el rastro de la mujer adúltera: come, y limpia su boca, y dice: No he hecho maldad.
21Por tres cosas se alborota la tierra, y la cuarta no puede sufrir:
22Por el siervo cuando reinare; y por el necio cuando se hartare de pan;
23Por la aborrecida cuando se casare; y por la sierva cuando heredare á su señora.
24Cuatro cosas son de las más pequeñas de la tierra, y las mismas son más sabias que los sabios:
25Las hormigas, pueblo no fuerte, y en el verano preparan su comida;
26Los conejos, pueblo nada esforzado, y ponen su casa en la piedra;
27Las langostas, no tienen rey, y salen todas acuadrilladas;
28La araña, ase con las manos, y está en palacios de rey.
29Tres cosas hay de hermoso andar, y la cuarta pasea muy bien:
30El león, fuerte entre todos los animales, que no torna atrás por nadie;
31El lebrel ceñido de lomos; asimismo el macho cabrío; y un rey contra el cual ninguno se levanta.
32Si caiste, fué porque te enalteciste; y si mal pensaste, pon el dedo sobre la boca.
33Ciertamente el que exprime la leche, sacará manteca; y el que recio se suena las narices, sacará sangre: y el que provoca la ira, causará contienda.
King James Version
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4Who 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?
5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9Lest 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.
10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14There 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.
15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17The 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.
18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19The 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.
20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
World English Bible
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
3I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?
5“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
7“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.
8Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
10“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
11There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
12There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
14There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.
15“The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
16Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’
17“The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.
18“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
19The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20“So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
22For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
23for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
24“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
25The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
26The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
27The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
28You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
30The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
31the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
32“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”