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 of Massa. The man says to Ithiel and Ucal:

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

I have not learned wisdom, and I do not know much about 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 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 pure: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.

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

6 D o not add 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 ¶ Two things have I required of thee; do not deny me them 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 vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my judgment:

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 the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and blaspheme 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 ¶ Do not accuse a slave in the presence of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found 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 curses their father, and does not bless 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 is 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, O 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 molars as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the destitute 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 ¶ 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 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 filled with water; and the fire that never says, It is 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 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 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 ¶ There are three things which are hidden from 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 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 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 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 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 is disquieted, and the fourth it cannot bear:

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

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

Under a servant when he becomes king, under 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.

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

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 prepare 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 they make 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 all of them go forth by bands;

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

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

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

29 ¶ There are three things which have a magnificent walk; yea, the fourth is 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 strongest among beasts and does not turn away for any;

The lion, which is powerful among wild animals and does not turn away from 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 proud rooster, the male goat, and a king when his army is with him.

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

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