New Living Translation | New International Version |
1The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God. | 1The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh--an inspired utterance. This man's utterance to Ithiel: "I am weary, God, but I can prevail. |
2I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. | 2Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. |
3I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One. | 3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. |
4Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name—and his son’s name? Tell me if you know! | 4Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped 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? Surely you know! |
5Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. | 5"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. |
6Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar. | 6Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. |
7O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. | 7"Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die: |
8First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. | 8Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. |
9For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name. | 9Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. |
10Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it. | 10"Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it. |
11Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. | 11"There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; |
12They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed. | 12those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; |
13They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances. | 13those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; |
14They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity. | 14those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind. |
15The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More, more!” There are three things that are never satisfied— no, four that never say, “Enough!”: | 15"The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry. "There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!': |
16the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire. | 16the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!' |
17The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures. | 17"The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures. |
18There are three things that amaze me— no, four things that I don’t understand: | 18"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: |
19how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman. | 19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman. |
20An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?” | 20"This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.' |
21There are three things that make the earth tremble— no, four it cannot endure: | 21"Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: |
22a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers, | 22a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, |
23a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress. | 23a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress. |
24There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: | 24"Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: |
25Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer. | 25Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; |
26Hyraxes —they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks. | 26hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; |
27Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation. | 27locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; |
28Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces. | 28a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces. |
29There are three things that walk with stately stride— no, four that strut about: | 29"There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: |
30the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything, | 30a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; |
31the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army. | 31a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt. |
32If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame. | 32"If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! |
33As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels. | 33For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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