Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man's oration to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

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

2I am more stupid than any other man, and I lack man's ability to understand.

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

3I have not gained wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

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

4Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son-- if 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 is pure; 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.

6Don't add to His words, or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved 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; don't deny them to me before I die:

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

8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need.

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

9Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, "Who is the LORD?" or I might have nothing and steal, profaning 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.

10Don't slander a servant to his master or he will curse you, and you will become guilty.

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

11There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.

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

12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth.

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

13There is a generation--how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks.

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

14There is a generation whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, devouring the oppressed from the land and 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, 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; a childless womb; earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, "Enough!"

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

17As for the eye that ridicules a father and despises obedience to a mother, may ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures eat it.

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 beyond me; four I can't 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 snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a young woman.

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've done nothing wrong."

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

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

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

22a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is stuffed with food,

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

23an unloved woman when she marries, and a servant girl when she ousts her queen.

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

24Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

28a lizard can be caught in your hands, yet it lives in kings' palaces.

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

29Three things are stately in their stride, even four are stately in their walk:

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

30a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn't retreat before anything,

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

31a strutting rooster, a goat, and a king at the head of his army.

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

32If you have been foolish by exalting yourself or if you've been scheming, put your hand over your mouth.

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

33For the churning of milk produces butter, and twisting a nose draws blood, and stirring up anger produces strife.

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org