PROV 30:3 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) ≈ and I haven’t been well educated,
⇔ ^ but I do know about the holy ones.

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And I have not learned wisdom,
⇔ nor the knowledge of holy ones do I know.

UST I have not learned how to become wise,
⇔ nor do I know much about Yahweh, the Holy One.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE I have not learnt wisdom,
⇔ neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I have not learned wisdom,
⇔ nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.

LSV Nor have I learned wisdom,
Yet I know the knowledge of the Holy Ones.

FBV I have not learned wisdom; I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

T4T I have not learned how to become wise
⇔ and I do not know much about God.

LEB • And I have not learned wisdom, nor will I know knowledge of the Holy One.[fn]

30:? Or “holy ones”

BBE I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.

Moff I am no master of thought,
⇔ of the Deity I know nought.

JPS And I have not learned wisdom, that I should have the knowledge of the Holy One.

ASV And I have not learned wisdom,
⇔ Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

DRA I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.

YLT Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.

Drby I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.

RV And I have not learned wisdom, neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
(And I have not learned/learnt wisdom, neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One. )

SLT I learnt not wisdom, and I shall not know the knowledge of the holy.

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

KJB-1769 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.[fn]
(I neither learned/learnt wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. )

30.3 have: Heb. know

KJB-1611 [fn]I neither learned wisedome, nor haue the knowledge of the holy.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

30:3 Heb. know.

Bshps I neuer learned wisdome, nor had knowledge of holy thynges.
(I never learned/learnt wisdom, nor had knowledge of holy things.)

Gnva For I haue not learned wisedome, nor atteined to the knowledge of holy things.
(For I have not learned/learnt wisdom, nor attained to the knowledge of holy things. )

Cvdl (for I neuerlerned wi?dome) yet haue I vnderstodinge & am wel enfourmed in godly thinges.
((for I neverlerned wi?dome) yet have I understanding and am well informed in godly things.)

Wycl Y lernede not wisdom; and Y knew not the kunnyng of hooli men.
(I learned/learnt not wisdom; and I knew not the cunning of holy men.)

Luth Ich habe Weisheit nicht gelernet, und was heilig sei, weiß ich nicht.
(I have wise_(people) not learnt, and what/which holy be, white I not.)

ClVg Non didici sapientiam, et non novi scientiam sanctorum.
(Not/No I_learnt wisdom, and not/no new knowledge holy_place. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 30:1–33: Here are the sayings of Agur

This section is a collection of verses that were written or organized by Agur the son of Jakeh.Some scholars think that Agur wrote or collected only verses 1–4, 1–6, 1–9, or 1–14. UBS (page 617), Toy (page 518), and Longman (page 513) are among those who list some of these possibilities. The GNT indicates with quotation marks that Agur’s words end after v.6. No other versions indicate that Agur’s words end before the end of the chapter. Waltke (volume I, page 26) strongly defends the entire chapter as the “oracle” of Agur on the basis of its structural unity. Kidner (page 178) divides the chapter into two sections (1–9) and (10–33), but identifies both as coming from “the sage.” The title of this section (30:1a) is the only place in Scripture that Agur is mentioned. The section is divided into paragraphs that vary from one to five verses. The Notes will suggest a paragraph heading for all paragraphs after 30:1a. It is suggested that you use similar headings in your translation to help the readers follow the changes of topic and audience.

The first nine verses contain Agur’s personal thoughts and prayers. Some are addressed to God, others to his audience. The rest of the chapter contains proverbs on various topics. Some are individual warnings or statements (30:10, 17, 20, 32–33). Others contain several kinds of lists of four items each. The lists in verses 15b–16, 18–19, 21–23, and 29–31 have the same form as the numerical proverb in 6:16–19. (See the paragraph summary for 6:16–19 and the notes on 6:16a–b.) The lists in verses 11–14 and 24–28 have different forms. These will be described in the paragraph summaries where they first occur.

Some other headings for this section are:

The Words of Agur (ESV)

Wise Words from Agur (NCV)

Words that the LORD caused Agur to make known

Paragraph 30:1b–3 Agur prayed to God

This is the first paragraph with a paragraph heading. It is suggested that you use a heading with similar wording in your translation.

This paragraph introduces Agur’s inspired words. It is a prayer to God. In this prayer, Agur admits that he feels very discouraged and lacks understanding (1b–3).

Three Hebrew words for God are used in 30:1–9. The word ʾel occurs in 30:1b–c, the word ʾelohim in 30:3b and 30:9d, and the word ʾeloah in 30:5a. All three are common nouns. The personal name of God (the LORD or YHWH) occurs in 30:9b.

30:3

In 30:2 Agur admits that he feels stupid. In 30:3 he admits more specifically that he is ignorant about God. Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^3a I have not learned wisdom,

^3b and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

30:3a–b

These lines are a hyperbole, as in 30:2a–b.Longman (page 521). They are not literally true. It is clear from the rest of the chapter that Agur was a wise man who knew many things about God. Some ways to translate this figure of speech are:

Keep the hyperbole, as in the BSB. For example:
I have never learned any wisdom, and I know nothing at all about God. (GNT)
Omit the hyperbole. Translate in a way that clearly shows Agur’s humble attitude about his own wisdom and knowledge. For example:
I have not learned to be wise, and I don’t know much about God, the Holy One. (NCV)

30:3a

I have not learned wisdom,

I have no wisdom,
I am not very wise.

I have not learned wisdom: This clause means that in Agur’s own opinion, he had not gained much wisdom. He did not consider himself to be a very wise man. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

I lack wisdom

I am not very wise

30:3b

and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

and I know nothing about the holy God.
You^(sing) are the holy/perfect God, and I know very little about you.

and I have no knowledge of the Holy One: In Hebrew, the phrase the Holy One is plural. It is literally “the holy ones.” There are two main ways to interpret this phrase:

It refers to the Holy One, God. The plural form here emphasizes his greatness.Murphy (page 226), Hubbard (page 458). For example:
God, the Holy One (NCV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NCV, NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, REB, GNT)
It refers to the other heavenly beings. For example:
the holy ones (NJB) (NJB, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. The plural form usually refers to righteous people or to heavenly beings. But in Proverbs 9:10, the same phrase clearly refers to God, because it is parallel with the phrase “The fear of the LORD.”

The clause I have no knowledge of the Holy One refers to Agur’s incomplete knowledge about God. He realized that there were many things about God’s character and actions that he did not know.Ross (page 1119).

the Holy One: The word Holy refers to God as a divine being. He is sacred and is different from everything that he created. He is perfect in every way and is completely pure and sinless. Because of these qualities, he is worthy of awe. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

the holy God

the one who is completely pure

the perfect one

Some other ways to translate this line are:

and there is much about the holy God that I do not know

I know that God is holy, but my knowledge about him is lacking.

In this line of Agur’s prayer, he speaks about God rather than speaking directly to God, as he does in 1b–c. A statement about God in the middle of a prayer to God is common in the Psalms. For example, see Psalm 3. In some languages, it may be necessary to make clear that Agur is still praying to God. For example:

and there is much about you^(sing), holy God, that I do not know

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

וְ⁠לֹֽא־לָמַ֥דְתִּי חָכְמָ֑ה וְ⁠דַ֖עַת קְדֹשִׁ֣ים אֵדָֽע

and=not learned wisdom and,knowledge_of holy have

Agur says these two clauses as extreme statements for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Alternate translation: “And I feel like I have not learned wisdom, nor the knowledge of holy ones do I know”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

חָכְמָ֑ה וְ⁠דַ֖עַת

wisdom and,knowledge_of

See how you translated the abstract nouns wisdom in [1:2](../01/02.md) and knowledge in [1:4](../01/04.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

קְדֹשִׁ֣ים

holy