(These are) the words of Agur son of Jakeh — the burden that this man declared to Ithiel : “ I am weary, O God, and worn out.
Surely I (am) the most ignorant of men , and I lack the understanding of a man
I have not learned wisdom , and I have no knowledge ... of the Holy One.
Who has ascended to heaven and come down ? Who has gathered the wind in His hands ? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak ? Who has established all the ends of the earth ? What is His name , and what is the name of His Son — surely you know !
Every word of God is flawless ; He is a shield to those who take refuge
Do not add to His words , lest He rebuke and prove you a liar.
Two things I ask ... of You — do not refuse me before I die :
Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give neither poverty nor riches ; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
Otherwise , I may have too much and deny You , saying , ‘ Who is the LORD ? ’ Or I may become poor and steal , profaning the name of my God.
Do not slander a servant to his master , or he will curse you , and you will bear the guilt.
There is a generation of those who curse - their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes vvv and yet unwashed of their filth.
There is a generation — how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances —
there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives , devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from (among) men.
The leech has two daughters : Give (and) Give. There are three (things that) are never satisfied , four (that) never say , ‘ Enough !’:
Sheol , the barren womb , land never satisfied with water , and fire that never says , ‘ Enough ! ’
As for the eye (that) mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother , may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
There are three (things) too wonderful for me , four that I cannot understand :
the way of an eagle in the sky , the way of a snake on a rock , the way of a ship vvv at sea , and the way of a man with a maiden.
This is the way of an adulteress ... : She eats and wipes her mouth and says , ‘ I have done nothing wrong. ’
Under three things the earth trembles , under four it cannot ... bear up :
- a servant who becomes king , a fool who is filled with food ,
- an unloved woman who marries , and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
Four things on earth ... are small , yet they are exceedingly wise :
The ants are creatures of little strength , yet they store up their food in the summer ;
the rock badgers are creatures of little power , yet they make their homes in the rocks ;
the locusts have no king , yet they all advance in formation ;
and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands , yet it (is found) in the palaces of kings.
There are three things that are stately in their stride , and four that are impressive in their walk :
a lion , mighty among beasts , refusing to retreat before anything ;
a strutting rooster ... ; ... a he-goat ; and a king with his army around him.
If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil , put your hand over your mouth.
For as the churning of milk yields butter , and the twisting of the nose draws blood , so the stirring of anger brings forth strife. ”