1The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, even his prophecy; the inspired utterance of the man to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal.
2Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
3I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most Holy.
4Who hath gone up into heaven and come down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound up the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what his son's name, if thou knowest?
5Every word of God is pure; A shield is he to them that put their trust in him.
6Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found a liar.
7Two things do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from me, before I die!
8Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food which is needful for me;
9Lest I be full, and deny thee, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor, and steal, And violate the name of my God.
10Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
11There is a class of men that curse their fathers, And do not bless their mothers.
12There is a class who are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13There is a class,—O how lofty are their eyes, And how are their eyelids lifted up!
14There is a class, whose teeth are swords, And their jaw-teeth knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.
15The vampire hath two daughters; “Give! give!” [[is their cry.]] There are three things which are never satisfied; Yea, four which say not, “Enough!”
16The underworld, and the barren womb; The earth, which is not satiated with water, And fire, which never saith, “It is enough!”
17The eye that mocketh at a father, And scorneth to obey a mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.
18These three things are too wonderful for me; Yea, there are four which I understand not:
19The track of an eagle in the air, The track of a serpent upon a rock, The track of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the track of a man with a maid.
20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
22Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
23Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
24There are four things which are small upon the earth, Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom.
25The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
26The conies are a feeble people, Yet do they make their houses in the rocks.
27The locusts have no king, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
28The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
29These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
30The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
31The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
32If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on thy mouth!
33For, as the pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese, And as the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood, So the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.