1 T he words of Agur son of Jakeh of Massa: The man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:

2 S urely I am too brutish and stupid to be called a man, and I have not the understanding of a man.

Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.

3 I have not learned skillful and godly Wisdom, that I should have the knowledge or burden of the Holy One.

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

4 W ho has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know?

Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?

5 E very word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.

Every word of +God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

6 A dd not to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar.

Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

7 T wo things have I asked of You; deny them not to me before I die:

Two things do I ask of thee; deny me not before I die:

8 R emove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,

Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:

9 L est I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the name of my God.

lest I be full and deny, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God.

10 D o not accuse and hurt a servant before his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.

11 T here is a class of people who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;

12 T here is a class of people who are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their own filth.

there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;

13 T here is a class of people—oh, how lofty are their eyes and their raised eyelids!

there is a generation,—how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!

14 T here is a class of people whose teeth are as swords and whose fangs as knives, to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among men.

—a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from men.

15 T he leech has two daughters, crying, Give, give! There are three things that are never satisfied, yes, four that do not say, It is enough:

The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:

16 S heol (the place of the dead), the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that says not, It is enough.

—Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough.

17 T he eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young vultures will devour it.

The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

18 T here are three things which are too wonderful for me, yes, four which I do not understand:

There are three too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:

19 T he way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.

The way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.

20 T his is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, I have done no wickedness.

Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

21 U nder three things the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:

Under three the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:

22 U nder a servant when he reigns, a fool when he is filled with food,

Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;

23 A n unloved and repugnant woman when she is married, and a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

under an odious when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.

24 T here are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

There are four little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:

25 T he ants are a people not strong, yet they lay up their food in the summer;

The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;

26 T he conies are but a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks;

the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;

27 T he locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;

the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;

28 T he lizard you can seize with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.

29 T here are three things which are stately in step, yes, four which are stately in their stride:

There are three which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:

30 T he lion, which is mightiest among beasts and turns not back before any;

The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;

31 T he war horse, the male goat also, and the king against whom there is no uprising.

a girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.

32 I f you have done foolishly in exalting yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand upon your mouth.

If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, the hand upon thy mouth.

33 S urely the churning of milk brings forth butter, and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.

For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.