1 T he words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

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

2 “ Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.

أنا أبلَدُ البَشَرِ، وَلَيسَ لِي فَهْمُ الإنسانِ.

3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

لَمْ أتَعَلَّمْ الحِكْمَةَ، وَلَمْ أعرِفْ شَيئاً عَنِ القُدُّوسِ.

4 W ho has ascended up 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?

مَنِ 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.

5 “ Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

كُلُّ كَلامِ اللهِ نَقِيٌ وَكامِلٌ، وَهُوَ دِرعٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَحتَمُونَ بِهِ.

6 D on’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

لا تُضِفْ شَيئاً إلَى كَلامِهِ، وَإلّا سَيُوَبِّخُكَ وَتَكُونُ كاذِباً.

7 “ Two things I have asked of you; don’t deny me before I die:

أطلُبُ مِنْكَ أمْرَينِ قَبلَ أنْ أمُوتَ:

8 R emove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;

أبعِدْ عَنِّي الكَذِبَ. وَلا تَجعَلْنِي غَنِيّاً جِدّاً وَلا فَقِيراً جِدّاً، بَلْ أعطِنِي كِفايَتِي مِنَ الطَّعامِ.

9 l est I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

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

10 “ Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

لا تَشتَكِ عَلَى عَبدٍ لِسَيِّدِهِ، لِئَلّا يَلعَنَكَ وَتَتَحَمَّلَ الذَّنْبَ.

11 T here is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.

بَعضُ النّاسِ يَلعَنُونَ الآباءَ وَلا يُبارِكُونَ الأُمَّهاتِ.

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

بَعضُ النّاسِ يَظُنُّونَ أنفُسَهُمْ أنقِياءَ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُزِيلُوا الشَّرَّ مِنْ داخِلِهِمْ.

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

بَعضُ النّاسِ مُتَعالُونَ وَيَنظُرُونَ إلَى الآخَرِينَ بِازدِراءٍ.

14 T here is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.

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

15 “ The leach has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough:’

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

16 S heol, the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough.’

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

17 “ The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother: the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.

الإنسانُ الَّذِي يَستَهزِئُ بِأبِيهِ وَيَحتَقِرُ أُمَّهُ، سَتَنْقُرُ غُرْبانُ الوادِي عَينَهُ، وَسَتَأْكُلُهُ النُّسُورُ.

18 “ There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:

هُناكَ ثَلاثَةُ أُمُورٍ تُدهِشُنِي وَالرّابِعُ لا أفهَمُهُ:

19 T he way of an eagle in the air; 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 maiden.

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

20 “ So is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

الزّانِيَةُ تَأْكُلُ ثُمَّ تَمسَحُ فَمَها وَتَقُولُ: «أنا لَمْ أفعَلْ شَيئاً.»

21 “ For three things the earth tremble, and under four, it can’t bear up:

أربَعَةُ أُمُورٍ لا تستَطِيعُ الأرْضُ احتِمالَها:

22 F or a servant when he is king; a fool when he is filled with food;

أنْ يُصبِحَ العَبْدُ مَلِكاً، أنْ يَشبَعَ الأحْمَقُ،

23 f or an unloved woman when she is married; and a servant who is heir to her mistress.

أنْ تَتَزَوَّجَ المَرأةُ المَكرُوهَةُ، وَأنْ تَأخُذَ الخادِمَةُ مَكانَ سَيِّدَتِها.

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

أربَعَةُ أشياءَ صَغِيرَةٍ فِي كُلِّ الأرْضِ وَلَكِنَّها الأكثَرُ حِكمَةً:

25 t he ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.

النَّملُ يُشَكِّلُ جَماعَةً لَيسَ فِيها قُوَّةٌ، وَلَكِنَّها تَجمَعُ طَعامَها فِي الصَّيفِ.

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

الوِبارُ الَّتي تُشَكِّلُ جَماعَةً لَيسَ فِيها قُوَّةٌ، وَلَكِنَّها تَجْعَلُ بَيتَها فِي الصَّخرِ.

27 T he locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.

الجَرادُ لَيسَ لَهُ قائِدٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ يَسلُكُ بِشَكلٍ مُنَظَّمٍ.

28 Y ou can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

وَالسِّحلِيَّةُ الَّتِي تُمسَكُ بِاليَدِ، وَلَكِنَّها تَعِيشُ فِي قُصُورِ المُلُوكِ.

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

ثَلاثَةُ أشياءَ عَظِيمَةٍ حِينَ تَمشِي، وَالرّابِعُ مُهِيبٌ فِي مَسِيرِهِ:

30 T he lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;

الأسَدُ أعظَمُ الحَيواناتِ البَرِّيَّةِ، وَهُوَ لا يَخافُ أحَداً.

31 t he greyhound, the male goat also; and the king against whom there is no rising up.

الدِّيكُ المُتَباهِي، التَّيسُ، وَالمَلِكُ وَسَطَ جَيشِهِ.

32 “ If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.

إنْ جَعَلَكَ غَباؤُكَ تَتَرَفَّعُ وَتَتَباهَى أوْ تُخَطِّطُ لِلشَرِّ، فَخَفْ مِنَ النَّتائِجِ وَاخجَلْ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ.

33 F or as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood; so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”

لِأنَّ خَضَّ الحَلِيبِ يُنتِجُ زُبدَةً، وَعَصرَ الأنفِ يُنتِجُ دَماً، وَكَذَلِكَ فإنَّ إثارَةَ الغَضَبِ تُسَبِّبُ المَشاكِلَ.