New King James Version | English Standard Version |
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal: | 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. |
2Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. | 2Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. |
3I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. | 3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I 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 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! |
5Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. | 5Every word of God proves true; 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 you be found a liar. |
7Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): | 7Two things I ask of you; deny them not to 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; | 8Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, |
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. | 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. |
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, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty. |
11There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother. | 11There are 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 are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth. |
13There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. | 13There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift! |
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 are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind. |
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. Three things are never satisfied; four 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, the land never satisfied with water, and the 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. | 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. |
18There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand: | 18Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not 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 serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a virgin. |
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 no 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 slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food; |
23A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress. | 23an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress. |
24There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: | 24Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise: |
25The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer; | 25the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; |
26The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; | 26the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; |
27The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks; | 27the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; |
28The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces. | 28the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces. |
29There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk: | 29Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride: |
30A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any; | 30the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any; |
31A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him. | 31the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him. |
32If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth. | 32If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth. |
33For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife. | 33For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife. |
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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