1Words of Agur, son of Jakeh, the burden, a declaration of the man to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal: I have wearied myself [for] God, || I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed.
2For I am more brutish than anyone, || And do not have the understanding of a man.
3Nor have I learned wisdom, || Yet I know the knowledge of the Holy Ones.
4Who went up to the heavens, and comes down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His Name? And what [is] His Son’s Name? Surely you know!
5Every saying of God [is] tried, || He [is] a shield to those trusting in Him.
6Do not add to His words, lest He reason with you, || And you have been found false.
7Two things I have asked from You, || Do not withhold from me before I die.
8Put vanity and a lying word far from me, || Do not give poverty or wealth to me, || Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
9Lest I become satiated, and have denied, || And have said, “Who [is] YHWH?” And lest I am poor, and have stolen, || And have laid hold of the Name of my God.
10Do not accuse a servant to his lord, || Lest he disapprove of you, and you are found guilty.
11A generation lightly esteems their father, || And does not bless their mother.
12A generation—pure in their own eyes, || But not washed from their own filth.
13A generation—how high are their eyes, || Indeed, their eyelids are lifted up.
14A generation—their teeth [are] swords, || And their jaw-teeth [are] knives, || To consume the poor from earth, || And the needy from [among] men.
15To the leech [are] two daughters—Give! Give! Behold, three things are not satisfied, || Four have not said “Sufficiency”;
16Sheol, and a restrained womb, || Earth—it [is] not satisfied [with] water, || And fire—it has not said, “Sufficiency,”
17An eye that mocks at a father, || And despises to obey a mother, || Ravens of the valley dig it out, || And young eagles eat it.
18Three things have been too wonderful for me, || Indeed, four that I have not known:
19The way of the eagle in the heavens, || The way of a serpent on a rock, || The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, || And the way of a man in youth.
20So—the way of an adulterous woman, || She has eaten and has wiped her mouth, || And has said, “I have not done iniquity.”
21For three things has earth been troubled, || And for four—it is not able to bear:
22For a servant when he reigns, || And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,
23For a hated one when she rules, || And a maidservant when she succeeds her mistress.
24Four [are] little ones of earth, || And they are made wiser than the wise:
25The ants [are] a people not strong, || And they prepare their food in summer,
26hyraxes [are] a people not strong, || And they place their house in a rock,
27There is no king to the locust, || And it goes out—each one shouting,
28A spider with two hands takes hold, || And is in the palaces of a king.
29There are three going well, || Indeed, four are good in going:
30An old lion—mighty among beasts, || That does not turn back from the face of any,
31A girt one of the loins, || Also a male goat, || And a king—troops with him.
32If you have been foolish in lifting yourself up, || And if you have devised evil—hand to mouth!
33For the churning of milk brings out butter, || And the wringing of the nose brings out blood, || And the forcing of anger brings out strife!