1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the pronouncement.

The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 I am certainly more stupid than any man,

And I do not have the understanding of a man;

3 Nor have I learned wisdom,

Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended?

Who has gathered the wind in His fists?

Who has wrapped the waters in *30:4 Lit theHis garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is His name or His *30:4 Or son’sSon’s name?

Surely you know!

5 Every word of God is *30:5 Lit refinedpure;

He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

6 Do not add to His words

Or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.

7 Two things I have asked of You;

Do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep deception and *30:8 Lit words of falsehoodlies far from me,

Give me neither poverty nor riches;

Feed me with the food that is my portion,

9 So that I will not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the Lord?"

And that I will not become impoverished and steal,

And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a slave to his master,

Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.

11 There is a *30:11 Or generationkind of person who curses his father

And does not bless his mother.

12 There is a *30:12 Or generationkind who is pure in his own eyes,

Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

13 There is a *30:13 Or generationkind—oh how lofty are his eyes!

And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.

14 There is a *30:14 Or generationkind of person whose teeth are like swords

And his jaw teeth like knives,

To devour the poor from the earth

And the needy from among mankind.

15 The leech has two daughters:

"Give" and "Give."

There are three things that will not be satisfied,

Four that will not say, "Enough":

16 * 30:16 I.e., The netherworld Sheol, the infertile womb,

Earth that is never satisfied with water,

And fire that never says, "Enough."

17 The eye that mocks a father

And *30:17 Lit despises to obeyscorns a mother,

The ravens of the valley will pick it out,

And the young eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,

Four which I do not understand:

19 The way of the eagle in the sky,

The way of a snake on a rock,

The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,

And the way of a man with a *30:19 Lit young unmarried womanvirgin.

20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:

She eats and wipes her mouth,

And says, "I have done no wrong."

21 Under three things the earth quakes,

And under four, it cannot endure:

22 Under a slave when he becomes king,

And a fool when he is satisfied with food,

23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband,

And a female servant when she dispossesses her mistress.

24 Four things are small on the earth,

But they are exceedingly wise:

25 The ants are not a strong people,

But they prepare their food in the summer;

26 The rock hyraxes are not a mighty people,

Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

27 The locusts have no king,

Yet all of them go out in ranks;

28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,

Yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are stately in their march,

Even four which are stately when they walk:

30 The lion, which is mighty among animals

And does not *30:30 Lit turn backretreat from anything,

31 The *30:31 Lit girt in the loinsstrutting rooster or the male goat,

And a king when his army is with him.

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,

Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.

33 For the *30:33 Lit pressingchurning of milk produces butter,

And pressing the nose produces blood;

So the *30:33 Lit pressingchurning of anger produces strife.