1 ه َذِهِ أقوالُ أجُورَ بنِ ياقَةَ مِنْ أهلِ مَسّا. يَقُولُ هَذا الرَّجُلِ: «أنا مُتعَبٌ مُتعَبٌ يا اللهُ، كَيفَ أستَمِرُّ؟»

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

2 أ نا أبلَدُ البَشَرِ، وَلَيسَ لِي فَهْمُ الإنسانِ.

Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

3 ل َمْ أتَعَلَّمْ الحِكْمَةَ، وَلَمْ أعرِفْ شَيئاً عَنِ القُدُّوسِ.

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

4 م َنِ الَّذِي صَعِدَ إلَى السَّماءِ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ؟ مَنِ الَّذِي جَمَعَ الرِّياحَ فِي يَدِهِ؟ مَنِ الَّذِي جَمَعَ المِياهَ فِي ثَوبِهِ؟ مَنِ الَّذِي أسَّسَ أقاصِي الأرْضَ؟ ما اسْمُهُ وَما اسْمُ ابنِهِ؟ أخبِرُونِي إنْ كُنتُمْ تَعرِفُونَ.

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

5 ك ُلُّ كَلامِ اللهِ نَقِيٌ وَكامِلٌ، وَهُوَ دِرعٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَحتَمُونَ بِهِ.

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

6 ل ا تُضِفْ شَيئاً إلَى كَلامِهِ، وَإلّا سَيُوَبِّخُكَ وَتَكُونُ كاذِباً.

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

7 أ طلُبُ مِنْكَ أمْرَينِ قَبلَ أنْ أمُوتَ:

Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

8 أ بعِدْ عَنِّي الكَذِبَ. وَلا تَجعَلْنِي غَنِيّاً جِدّاً وَلا فَقِيراً جِدّاً، بَلْ أعطِنِي كِفايَتِي مِنَ الطَّعامِ.

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

9 ل ِئَلّا أشبَعَ كَثِيراً فَأقُولُ: «مَنْ هُوَ اللهُ ؟» أوْ أُصبِحَ فَقِيراً فَأسرِقَ وَاُسِيئَ إلَى اسمِ إلَهِي.

Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord ? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

10 ل ا تَشتَكِ عَلَى عَبدٍ لِسَيِّدِهِ، لِئَلّا يَلعَنَكَ وَتَتَحَمَّلَ الذَّنْبَ.

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

11 ب َعضُ النّاسِ يَلعَنُونَ الآباءَ وَلا يُبارِكُونَ الأُمَّهاتِ.

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

12 ب َعضُ النّاسِ يَظُنُّونَ أنفُسَهُمْ أنقِياءَ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُزِيلُوا الشَّرَّ مِنْ داخِلِهِمْ.

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

13 ب َعضُ النّاسِ مُتَعالُونَ وَيَنظُرُونَ إلَى الآخَرِينَ بِازدِراءٍ.

There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

14 ب َعضُ النّاسِ أسنانُهُمْ مِثلُ السُّيُوفِ، وَأضراسُهُمْ مِثلُ السَّكاكِينِ، فَيُبِيدُونَ الفُقَراءَ مِنَ الأرْضِ، وَالمساكِينَ مِنْ بَينِ البَشَرِ.

There 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.

15 ط َمَعُ النّاسِ كَعَلَقَةٍ لَها بِنتانِ تَقُولانِ: «أعطِنِي، أعطِنِي.» هُناكَ ثَلاثَةُ أشياءَ لا تَشبَعُ، وَالرّابِعَةُ لا تَقُولُ: «يَكفِي.»

The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

16 ا لهاوِيَةُ، المَرأةُ الَّتِي لا تُنجِبُ، الأرْضُ الَّتِي لا تَرتَوِي مِنَ الماءِ، وَالنّارُ الَّتِي لا تَقُولُ: «يَكفِي.»

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

17 ا لإنسانُ الَّذِي يَستَهزِئُ بِأبِيهِ وَيَحتَقِرُ أُمَّهُ، سَتَنْقُرُ غُرْبانُ الوادِي عَينَهُ، وَسَتَأْكُلُهُ النُّسُورُ.

The 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.

18 ه ُناكَ ثَلاثَةُ أُمُورٍ تُدهِشُنِي وَالرّابِعُ لا أفهَمُهُ:

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

19 ط َيَرانُ النَّسرِ فِي السَّماءِ، زَحْفُ الأفعَى بَينَ الصُّخُورِ، سَيْرُ السَّفِينَةِ فِي البَحرِ، وَالرَّجُل الَّذِي يُحِبُّ فَتاةً.

The 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.

20 ا لزّانِيَةُ تَأْكُلُ ثُمَّ تَمسَحُ فَمَها وَتَقُولُ: «أنا لَمْ أفعَلْ شَيئاً.»

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

21 أ ربَعَةُ أُمُورٍ لا تستَطِيعُ الأرْضُ احتِمالَها:

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

22 أ نْ يُصبِحَ العَبْدُ مَلِكاً، أنْ يَشبَعَ الأحْمَقُ،

For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

23 أ نْ تَتَزَوَّجَ المَرأةُ المَكرُوهَةُ، وَأنْ تَأخُذَ الخادِمَةُ مَكانَ سَيِّدَتِها.

For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

24 أ ربَعَةُ أشياءَ صَغِيرَةٍ فِي كُلِّ الأرْضِ وَلَكِنَّها الأكثَرُ حِكمَةً:

There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

25 ا لنَّملُ يُشَكِّلُ جَماعَةً لَيسَ فِيها قُوَّةٌ، وَلَكِنَّها تَجمَعُ طَعامَها فِي الصَّيفِ.

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

26 ا لوِبارُ الَّتي تُشَكِّلُ جَماعَةً لَيسَ فِيها قُوَّةٌ، وَلَكِنَّها تَجْعَلُ بَيتَها فِي الصَّخرِ.

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

27 ا لجَرادُ لَيسَ لَهُ قائِدٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ يَسلُكُ بِشَكلٍ مُنَظَّمٍ.

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

28 و َالسِّحلِيَّةُ الَّتِي تُمسَكُ بِاليَدِ، وَلَكِنَّها تَعِيشُ فِي قُصُورِ المُلُوكِ.

The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

29 ث َلاثَةُ أشياءَ عَظِيمَةٍ حِينَ تَمشِي، وَالرّابِعُ مُهِيبٌ فِي مَسِيرِهِ:

There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

30 ا لأسَدُ أعظَمُ الحَيواناتِ البَرِّيَّةِ، وَهُوَ لا يَخافُ أحَداً.

A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

31 ا لدِّيكُ المُتَباهِي، التَّيسُ، وَالمَلِكُ وَسَطَ جَيشِهِ.

A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

32 إ نْ جَعَلَكَ غَباؤُكَ تَتَرَفَّعُ وَتَتَباهَى أوْ تُخَطِّطُ لِلشَرِّ، فَخَفْ مِنَ النَّتائِجِ وَاخجَلْ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ.

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

33 ل ِأنَّ خَضَّ الحَلِيبِ يُنتِجُ زُبدَةً، وَعَصرَ الأنفِ يُنتِجُ دَماً، وَكَذَلِكَ فإنَّ إثارَةَ الغَضَبِ تُسَبِّبُ المَشاكِلَ.

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.