62 Heb “Four are the small things of the earth.” has “four animals,” though in the list of four that follows, two are insects and one is a reptile.
63 The construction uses the Pual participle with the plural adjective as an intensive; these four creatures are the very embodiment of wisdom ( 314 חָכַם Pu).
64 The wisdom of the ants is found in their diligent preparation (כּוּן, kun) of food supplies in the summer for times in the winter when food is scarce. See S. P. Toperoff, “The Ant in the Bible and Midrash,” Dor le Dor 13 (1985): 179–83. According to this, being prepared ahead of time is a mark of true wisdom.
65 Or “hyraxes.” This is the Syrian Hyrax, also known as the rock badger. , has “conies” (alternately spelled “coneys” by ), a term usually associated with the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) but which can also refer to the pika or the hyrax. Scholars today generally agree that the Hebrew term used here refers to a type of hyrax, a small ungulate mammal of the family Procaviidae native to Africa and the Middle East which has a thick body, short legs and ears and a rudimentary tail. The simple “badger” (so , , ) could lead to confusion with the badger, an entirely unrelated species of burrowing mammal related to weasels. Modern scholars identify this creature with the rock badger (the Syrian hyrax), a small mammal that lives in the crevices of the rock. Its wisdom consists in its ingenuity to find a place of security.
66 The Hebrew term means “divided”; they go forward in orderly divisions, or ranks (C. H. Toy, Proverbs [], ). Joel 1:4 describes their order and uses it as a picture of a coming invasion (e.g., Joel 2:7, 8). Therefore the wisdom of the locust is in their order and cooperation.
67 The , agreeing with , translated this term as “spider.” But almost all modern English versions and commentators, following the Greek and the Latin versions, have “lizard.” The point of this saying is that a weak creature like a lizard, that is so easily caught, cannot be prevented from getting into the most significant places.
68 Although the Hebrew noun translated “king” is singular here, it is traditionally translated as plural: “kings’ palaces” (so , , , ).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Four things on earth are small,

but they are exceedingly wise:

the ants are a people not strong,

yet they provide their food in the summer;

the rock badgers are a people not mighty,

yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

the locusts have no king,

yet all of them march in rank;

the lizard you can take in your hands,

yet it is in kings’ palaces.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Four things on earth are small,

yet they are extremely wise:

Ants are creatures of little strength,

yet they store up their food in the summer;

hyraxes are creatures of little power,

yet they make their home in the crags;

locusts have no king,

yet they advance together in ranks;

a lizard can be caught with the hand,

yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Four things on earth are small,

yet they are extremely wise:

ants are not a strong people,

yet they store up their food in the summer;

hyraxes are not a mighty people,

yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

locusts have no king,

yet all of them march in ranks;

a lizard can be caught in your hands,

yet it lives in kings’ palaces.

NLTNew Living Translation

There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:

Ants—they aren’t strong,

but they store up food all summer.

Hyraxes—they aren’t powerful,

but they make their homes among the rocks.

Locusts—they have no king,

but they march in formation.

Lizards—they are easy to catch,

but they are found even in kings’ palaces.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

There are four small things on the earth,

and they are exceedingly wise:

The ants are a people who are not strong,

yet they prepare their food in the summer;

the badgers are a people who are not mighty,

yet they set their house on the rock;

there is no king for the locust,

yet it marches in rank;

a lizard you can seize with hands,

yet it is in palaces of kings.

KJV 1900King James Version

There be four things which are little upon the earth,

But they are exceeding wise:

The ants are a people not strong,

Yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

The conies are but a feeble folk,

Yet make they their houses in the rocks;

The locusts have no king,

Yet go they forth all of them by bands;

The spider taketh hold with her hands,

And is in kings’ palaces.

Public Domain