1 T he words of Agur the son of Jakeh; The oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh of Massa. The man says to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 S urely I am more brutish than any man, And have not the understanding of a man;

For sure, I am more foolish than any man, and I do not have the understanding of a man.

3 A nd I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

I have not learned wisdom, and I do not know much about the Holy One.

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

Who has gone up into heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has gathered the waters in His coat? Who has put in place all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name? For sure you know!

5 E very word of God is tried: He is a shield unto them that take refuge in him.

Every word of God has been proven true. He is a safe-covering to those who trust in Him.

6 A dd thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Do not add to His words, or He will speak strong words to you and prove you to be a liar.

7 T wo things have I asked of thee; Deny me them not before I die:

Two things I have asked of You. Do not keep me from having them 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:

Take lies and what is false far from me. Do not let me be poor or rich. Feed me with the food that I need.

9 L est I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God.

Then I will not be afraid that I will be full and turn my back against You and say, “Who is the Lord?” And I will not be afraid that I will be poor and steal, and bring shame on the name of my God.

10 S lander not a servant unto his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.

Do not speak against a slave while talking with his owner, or he may curse you and you will be found guilty.

11 T here is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother.

There are those who curse their fathers, and do not honor their mothers.

12 T here is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.

There are people who are pure in their own eyes, but are not washed from their own dirt.

13 T here is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.

There is a kind, O, how proud are his eyes! His eyes are opened wide with pride.

14 T here is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

There is a kind of man whose teeth are swords, whose jaws are like knives, who eat up those who are suffering from the earth, and those in need from among men.

15 T he horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, Yea, four that say not, Enough:

The one who lives by the blood of another has two daughters, “Give,” “Give.” There are three things that are never filled, four that never say, “Enough”:

16 S heol; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that saith not, Enough.

The place of the dead, the woman who cannot have children, the earth that is always thirsty for water, and fire that never says, “Enough.”

17 T he eye that mocketh at his father, And despiseth to obey his mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.

The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the young eagles.

18 T here are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yea, four which I know not:

There are three things which are too great for me, four which I do not understand:

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 maiden.

The way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship out at sea, and the way of a man with a woman.

20 S o is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, I have done no wickedness.

This is the way of a woman who is not faithful in marriage: She eats and washes her mouth, and says, “I have done no wrong.”

21 F or three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear:

Under three things the earth shakes, and under four it cannot stand:

22 F or a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food;

Under a servant when he becomes king, under a fool when he is filled with food,

23 F or an odious woman when she is married; And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

under a woman who is not loved when she gets a husband, and under a woman servant when she takes the place of the woman of the house.

24 T here are four things which are little upon the earth, But they are exceeding wise:

There are four things that are small on the earth, but they are very wise:

25 T he ants are a people not strong, Yet they provide their food in the summer;

The ants are not a strong people, but they store up their food in the summer.

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

The badgers are not a strong people, but they make their houses in the rocks.

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

The locusts have no king, but they go as an army.

28 T he lizard taketh hold with her hands, Yet is she in kings' palaces.

You can take the lizard in your hands, but it is found in kings’ houses.

29 T here are three things which are stately in their march, Yea, four which are stately in going:

There are three things which have honor in their steps, even four which show honor in their walk:

30 T he lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any;

The lion, which is powerful among wild animals and does not turn away from any,

31 T he greyhound; the he-goat also; And the king against whom there is no rising up.

the proud rooster, the male goat, and a king when his army is with him.

32 I f thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, Or if thou hast thought evil, Lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

If you have been foolish in honoring yourself, or if you have planned wrong-doing, put your hand on your mouth.

33 F or the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

Shaking milk makes butter, and hitting the nose brings blood. So fighting comes because of anger.