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

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

2 S urely I am more carnal than any man and have not the understanding of a man.

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

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

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

4 W ho has ascended up 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 thou canst tell?

Who 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?

5 E very word of God is pure: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.

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

6 D o not add unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Add not to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar.

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

Two things have I asked of You; deny them not to me before I die:

8 R emove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my judgment:

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

9 L est I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and blaspheme the name of my God.

Lest 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.

10 ¶ Do not accuse a slave in the presence of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

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

11 T here is a generation that curses their father, and does not bless their mother.

There is a class of people who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

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

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

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

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

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

There 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.

15 ¶ The horseleach has two daughters, which are called, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

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

16 S heol; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that never says, It is enough.

Sheol (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.

17 T he eye that mocks at his father, and despises the teaching of his mother, the ravens shall pluck it out of the river, and the young eagles shall eat it.

The 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.

18 ¶ There are three things which are hidden from me, yea, four which I know not:

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

19 T he track of the eagle in the air; the track of the serpent upon the rock; the track of the ship in the midst of the sea; and the track of the man in the maid.

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 S uch is the track of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.

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

21 F or three things the earth is disquieted, and the fourth it cannot bear:

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

22 F or a slave when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with bread;

Under a servant when he reigns, a fool when he is filled with food,

23 f or a rejected woman when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

An unloved and repugnant woman when she is married, and a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

24 ¶ There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are wiser than the wise men:

There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:

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

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

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

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

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

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

28 t he spider takes hold with her hands and is in kings’ palaces.

The lizard you can seize with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29 ¶ There are three things which have a magnificent walk; yea, the fourth is stately in going:

There are three things which are stately in step, yes, four which are stately in their stride:

30 T he lion which is strongest among beasts and does not turn away for any;

The lion, which is mightiest among beasts and turns not back before any;

31 t he greyhound who is girded up of loins; a he goat also, and the king, against whom no one rises up.

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

32 I f thou hast fallen, it is because thou hast lifted thyself up; and if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

If you have done foolishly in exalting yourself, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand upon your 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.

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