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

2 S urely I am more carnal than any man and 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 neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy.

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

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 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 pure: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.

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

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

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

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

Two things do I ask of thee; deny me not 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 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 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, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

—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 ¶ 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 hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three never satisfied; four which say not, 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, 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 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 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 ¶ There are three things which are hidden from me, yea, four which I know not:

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

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 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 S uch is the track 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 F or three things the earth is disquieted, and the fourth it cannot bear:

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

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

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

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

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

25 T he ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare 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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.