Proverbs 30:15-31:9
1599 Geneva Bible
15 The horseleech hath two [a]daughters which cry, Give, give. There be three things that will not be satisfied: yea, four that say not, It is enough.
16 The grave, and the barren womb, the earth, that cannot be satisfied with water, and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17 The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the instruction of his mother, let the ravens [b]of the valley pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.
18 There be three things hid from me: yea, four that I know not:
19 The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a stone, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.
20 Such is the way also of an adulterous woman: she eateth and [c]wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have not committed iniquity.
21 For three things the earth is moved: yea, for four it cannot sustain itself.
22 For [d]a servant when he reigneth, and a fool when he is filled with meat,
23 For the hateful woman, when she is married, and for a handmaid that is [e]heir to her mistress.
24 These be four small things in the earth, yet they are [f]wise, and full of wisdom.
25 The pismires a people not strong, yet prepare they their meat in summer:
26 The conies a people not mighty, yet make they their houses in the rock:
27 The grasshopper hath no king, yet go they forth all by bands:
28 The spider taketh hold [g]with her hands, and is in king’s palaces.
29 There be three things that order well their going: yea, four are comely in going:
30 A lion which is strong among beasts, and turneth not at the sight of any:
31 A lusty greyhound, and a goat, and a king against whom there is no rising up.
32 If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, and if thou hast thought wickedly, lay thine hand [h]upon thy mouth.
33 When one churneth milk, he bringeth forth butter: and he that wringeth his nose, causeth blood to come out, so he that forceth wrath, bringeth forth strife.
31 2 He exhorteth to chastity and justice, 10 and showeth the conditions of a wise and worthy woman.
1 THE WORDS OF KING [i]LEMUEL: The [j]prophecy which his mother taught him.
2 What my son! and what the son of [k]my womb! and what, O son of my desires!
3 Give not thy strength unto women, [l]nor thy ways which is to destroy kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes [m]strong drink,
5 Lest he drink and forget the decree, and change the judgment of all the children of affliction.
6 Give ye strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto them that have grief of heart.
7 Let him drink, that he may forget [n]his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the [o]dumb in the cause of all the children of destruction.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and judge the afflicted, and the poor.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:15 The leech hath two forks in her tongue, which here he calleth her two daughters, whereby she sucketh the blood, and is never satiated: even so are the covetous extortioners insatiable.
- Proverbs 30:17 Which haunt in the valley for carrions.
- Proverbs 30:20 She hath her desires, and after counterfeiteth as though she were an honest woman.
- Proverbs 30:22 These commonly abuse the state whereunto they are called.
- Proverbs 30:23 Which is married to her master after the death of her mistress.
- Proverbs 30:24 They contain great doctrine and wisdom.
- Proverbs 30:28 If man be not able to compass these common things by his wisdom, we cannot attribute wisdom to man, but folly.
- Proverbs 30:32 Make a stay, and continue not in doing evil.
- Proverbs 31:1 That is, of Solomon, who was called Lemuel, that is, of God, because God had ordained him to be king over Israel.
- Proverbs 31:1 The doctrine which his mother Bathsheba taught him.
- Proverbs 31:2 By this often repetition of one thing, she declareth her motherly affection.
- Proverbs 31:3 Meaning, that women are the destruction of kings, if they haunt them.
- Proverbs 31:4 That is, the King must not give himself to wantonness, and neglect of his office, which is to execute judgment.
- Proverbs 31:7 For wine doth comfort the heart, as Ps. 104:15.
- Proverbs 31:8 Defend their cause that are not able to help themselves.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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