There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
Parallel translations
- WEB “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
- KJV There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
- BSB Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
- NKJV There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:
- NASB ¶Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Four small creatures are exceedingly wise, teaching that true wisdom is not a matter of size or strength.
Overview
Agur turns to admire tiny animals whose instinctive wisdom puts proud humans to shame. The saying overturns the assumption that power equals wisdom, exalting prudence over might. It invites the reader to learn humility and foresight from God's smallest creatures, all of whom display the Creator's wise design.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- Job 12:7“But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 30:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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