English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.

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

2Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.

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

3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

3Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

4Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up 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? Surely you know!

4Who 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!

5Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

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

6Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

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

7Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:

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

8Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,

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

9lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

9That 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.

10Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

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

11There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

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

12There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.

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

13There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!

13There is a kind-- oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.

14There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.

14There 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.

15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:

15The leech has two daughters, "Give," "Give." There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, "Enough":

16Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

16Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, "Enough."

17The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

17The 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.

18Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:

18There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand:

19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a virgin.

19The 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.

20This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.”

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

21Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:

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

22a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;

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

23an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.

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

24Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:

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

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

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

26the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

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

27the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;

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

28the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

28The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings' palaces.

29Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:

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

30the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;

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

31the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.

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

32If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.

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

33For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.

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

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