1 T he words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

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

2 S urely I am more stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man.

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

3 N either have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

And I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

4 W ho has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know!

Who 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?

5 E very word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

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

6 D o not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

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

7 T wo things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die:

Two things have I asked of thee; Deny me them not before I die:

8 K eep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,

Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me:

9 T hat I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord ?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.

Lest 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.

10 D o not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.

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

11 T here is a kind of man who curses his father And does not bless his mother.

There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother.

12 T here is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

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

13 T here is a kind—oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.

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

14 T here is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords And his jaw teeth like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men.

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 T he leech has two daughters, “Give,” “Give.” There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, “Enough”:

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

16 S heol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.”

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

17 T he eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.

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 T here are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand:

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

19 T he way of an eagle in the sky, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the middle of the sea, And the way of a man with a 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 maiden.

20 T his is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wrong.”

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

21 U nder three things the earth quakes, And under four, it cannot bear up:

For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, which it cannot bear:

22 U nder a slave when he becomes king, And a fool when he is satisfied with food,

For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food;

23 U nder an unloved woman when she gets a husband, And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

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

24 F our things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:

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

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

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

26 T he shephanim are not mighty people, Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

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

27 T he locusts have no king, Yet all of them go out in ranks;

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

28 T he lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings’ palaces.

The lizard taketh hold with her hands, Yet is she in kings' palaces.

29 T here are three things which are stately in their march, Even four which are stately when they walk:

There are three things which are stately in their march, Yea, four which are stately in going:

30 T he lion which is mighty among beasts And does not retreat before any,

The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any;

31 T he strutting rooster, the male goat also, And a king when his army is with him.

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

32 I f you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.

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

33 F or the churning of milk produces butter, And pressing the nose brings forth blood; So the churning of anger produces strife.

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