The Four Stately Creatures Read as the Four Kingdoms

"Three things are stately in their stride, and four are stately in their walk" (Proverbs 30:29), and these are they: "the lion, mightiest among beasts, who turns back before nothing" (Proverbs 30:30) - why does it turn back before nothing? Because it is not ashamed. "The greyhound, or the he-goat" (Proverbs 30:31) - just as this greyhound walks and does not falter, so any kingdom that arises - you cannot stand before it. "The lion, mighty one" (Proverbs 30:30) - this is Babylon, as it is said, "A lion has gone up from his thicket" (Jeremiah 4:7). "The greyhound, or the he-goat" (Proverbs 30:31) - this is Media; just as the rooster crows in the night and rouses people, so was Ahasuerus, as it is said, "On that night" (Esther 6:1). "If you have been vile in exalting yourself" (Proverbs 30:32) - this is Greece, who decreed to ruin the wives of Israel, as it is stated, "for he has committed an outrage in Israel" (Genesis 34:7). "For the churning of milk brings forth butter" (Proverbs 30:33) - this is Edom, who merited kingship only through the merit of Abraham, as it is said, "and he took butter and milk" (Genesis 18:8). Five times Solomon saw the kingdoms. Another interpretation: "If you have been vile in exalting yourself" (Proverbs 30:32) - Rava said, and some say Rav Shmuel bar Nachmani: If a person makes himself vile over the words of Torah, he will be exalted, "and if you have schemed - put your hand to your mouth." "For the churning of milk brings forth butter" (Proverbs 30:33) - Rabbi Yannai expounded this verse: "For the churning of milk brings forth butter" - in whom do you find the butter of Torah? In one who pours out all the milk he nursed from his mother's breasts. "And the wringing of the nose brings forth blood" - whoever, when his teacher is angry with him a first and a second time, keeps silent, merits to discern between one blood and another, between impure blood and pure blood. "And the wringing of anger brings forth strife" - whoever, when his teacher is angry with him a first and a second time, keeps silent, merits to discern between cases of money and cases of life.