Proverbs 30

Proverbs · Chapter 30

Proverbs 30:21

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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear:

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
underתַּ֣חַתTA-chatH8478G
under

תְּחוֹת (te.chot) under Aramaic of ta.chat (תַּחַת ": under" H8478)

three [things]שָׁ֭לוֹשׁSHA-lo-oshH7969
three

שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) 1) three, triad 1a) 3, 300, third Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)

it quakesרָ֣גְזָהRA-ge-zahH7264
to tremble

רָגַז (ra.gaz) 1) tremble, quake, rage, quiver, be agitated, be excited, be perturbed 1a)(Qal) to quake, be disquieted, be excited, be perturbed 1b) (Hiphil) to cause to quake, disquiet, enrage, disturb 1c) (Hithpael) to excite oneself

[the] earthאֶ֑רֶץ'E-retzH0776G
land: country/planet

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth …

and underוְתַ֥חַתve-TA-chatH8478G
under

תְּחוֹת (te.chot) under Aramaic of ta.chat (תַּחַת ": under" H8478)

four [things]אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע'ar-BA'H0702
four

אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) four

notלֹא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

it is ableתוּכַ֥לtu-KHALH3201
be able

יָכֹל (ya.khol) 1) to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be able, be able to gain or accomplish, be able to endure, be able to reach 1a2) to prevail, prevail over or against, overcome, be victor 1a3) to have ability, have strength Aramaic equivalent: ye.khel (יְכִל "be able" H3202)

to bear upשְׂאֵֽת׃se-'ETH5375H
to lift: raise

נָשָׂא (na.sa) : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.