| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal: | 1These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out. |
| 2Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. | 2Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man. |
| 3I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. | 3I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. |
| 4Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound 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, If you know? | 4Who 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! |
| 5Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. | 5Every word of God is flawless; 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, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar. |
| 7Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): | 7Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die: |
| 8Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; | 8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread 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. | 9Otherwise, 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. |
| 10Do not malign a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty. | 10Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt. |
| 11There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother. | 11There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. |
| 12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness. | 12There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth. |
| 13There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. | 13There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances— |
| 14There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men. | 14there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men. |
| 15The leech has two daughters— Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”: | 15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: |
| 16The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water— And the fire never says, “Enough!” | 16Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ |
| 17The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it. | 17As 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. |
| 18There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: | 18There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand: |
| 19The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin. | 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 maiden. |
| 20This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wickedness.” | 20This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’ |
| 21For three things the earth is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up: | 21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: |
| 22For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food, | 22a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food, |
| 23A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress. | 23an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress. |
| 24There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: | 24Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: |
| 25The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer; | 25The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; |
| 26The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; | 26the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; |
| 27The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks; | 27the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation; |
| 28The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces. | 28and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings. |
| 29There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk: | 29There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk: |
| 30A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any; | 30a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything; |
| 31A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him. | 31a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him. |
| 32If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth. | 32If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth. |
| 33For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife. | 33For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.” |
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