The Skeptics Annotated Bible (511 page)

(29.20-23)

20
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

(29.20)
“Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.”

21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

22
An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

(29.22)
“An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.”

23
A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

(29.23)
“A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but
whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe
.

(29.25)
“Whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”

26 Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.

27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

(29.27)
“An unjust man is an abomination to the just.”
33 Has the ever been a just person?

30
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

4 Who 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?

5
Every word of God is pure
: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

(30.5) “Every word of God is pure.” Well then, the Bible must not be the word of God. See Ezekiel 23.20 and Malachi 2.3 for just two examples of the “pure word of God.”
250 Is every word of God pure?

6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

9 Lest 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.

10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

14 There 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.

15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

17 The 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.

(30.17) “The 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.” If you mock your father or disobey your mother, the ravens will pick out your eyeballs and the eagles will eat them.

18
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

19
The 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.

(30.18-19)
“There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The 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.”
One of the four “wonderful” things is “the way of a man with a maid.” (As a sailor and birdwatcher, though, I have to agree that the way an eagle flies and a ship sails are two of the most wonderful things.)