1
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the manspake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2
Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3
I neither learnedwisdom, nor have[a] the knowledge of the holy.
4
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son'sname, if thou canst tell?
5
Every word of God is pure:[b] he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7
Two things have I required of thee; deny[c] me them not before I die:
8
Remove far from me vanity and lies*: give me neither poverty nor riches;feed me with foodconvenient[d] for me:
9
Lest I be full, and deny[e] thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10
Accuse[f] not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15
The horseleach hath twodaughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16
The grave; and the barrenwomb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley[g] shall pick it out, and the youngeagles shall eat it.
18
There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst[h] of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20
Such is the way of an adulterouswoman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21
For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannotbear:
22
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23
For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding[i]wise:
25
The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26
The conies are but a feeblefolk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings'palaces.
29
There be three things which gowell, yea, four are comely in going:
30
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not awayfor any;
31
A greyhound*;[j] an he goatalso; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forthbutter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forthblood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forthstrife.