1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel--to Ithiel and Ucal: |
2 Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. |
3 I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. |
4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, If you know? |
5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. |
6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. |
7 Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): |
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches--Feed me with the food allotted to me; |
9 Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the LORD?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God. |
10 Do not malign a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty. |
11 There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother. |
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness. |
13 There is a generation--oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. |
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men. |
15 The leech has two daughters--Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, "Enough!": |
16 The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water--And the fire never says, "Enough!" |
17 The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it. |
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: |
19 The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin. |
20 This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, "I have done no wickedness." |
21 For three things the earth is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up: |
22 For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food, |
23 A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress. |
24 There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: |
25 The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer; |
26 The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; |
27 The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks; |
28 The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings' palaces. |
29 There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk: |
30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any; |
31 A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him. |
32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth. |
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife. |