The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New King James Version NKJV
1 The words of Agur the son of Yakeh, the prophecy. The man says to Iti'el, to Iti'el and Ukhal:
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The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel--to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 I am more boorish than anyone, I lack human discernment;
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Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned enough wisdom to know the Holy One.
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I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has cupped the wind in the palms of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!
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Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, If you know?
5 Every word of God's is pure; he shields those taking refuge in him.
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Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Don't add anything to his words; or he will rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
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Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7 [God,] I have asked two things of you; don't deny them to me as long as I live -
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Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die):
8 keep falsehood and futility far from me, and give me neither poverty nor wealth. Yes, provide just the food I need today;
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Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches-- Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 for if I have too much, I might deny you and say, "Who is ADONAI?"And if I am poor, I might steal and thus profane the name of my God.
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Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.
10 Never disparage a slave to his master, or he will curse you, and you will deserve it.
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Do not malign a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
11 There is a type of people who curse their fathers and don't bless their mothers.
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There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a type of people clean in their own view, but not cleansed from their filth.
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There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a type of people - how haughty their look! -utterly supercilious!
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There is a generation--oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a type of people whose teeth are like swords, yes, their fangs are knives; they devour the poor from the earth, the needy from humankind.
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There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.
15 The leech has two daughters; they cry, "Give! Give!" Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough!"
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The leech has two daughters-- Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, "Enough!":
16 Sh'ol and a barren womb; the earth, never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, "Enough!"
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The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water-- And the fire never says, "Enough!"
17 The eye that mocks his father and scorns obeying his mother will be pecked out by the ravens in the valley, and the vultures will eat it.
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The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.
18 Three things are too wonderful for me, four beyond my knowledge
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There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the open sea, and the way of a man with a girl.
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The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin.
20 This is how an unfaithful wife behaves: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, "I did nothing wrong."
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This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, "I have done no wickedness."
21 Three things make the earth quake, four things it can't bear -
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For three things the earth is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
22 a slave who becomes king, a boor gorged with food,
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For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food,
23 a hated [wife] when her husband takes her [back], and a slave-girl who inherits from her mistress.
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A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
24 Four things on the earth are small; nevertheless, they are very wise -
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There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:
25 the ants, a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer;
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The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 the coneys, a species with little power, yet they make their home in the rocks;
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The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags;
27 the locusts, who have no king, yet they all march out in ranks;
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The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks;
28 and the spiders, which you can catch in your hand, yet they are in the king's palace.
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The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings' palaces.
29 Three things are stately in their stride, four of stately gait
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There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk:
30 the lion, mightiest of beasts, which turns aside for none;
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A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any;
31 the greyhound, the billy-goat and the king when his army is with him.
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A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him.
32 If you have been boorish, exalting yourself, or if you have been scheming, lay your hand on your mouth.
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If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.
33 For as pressing milk produces butter and pressing the nose produces blood, so pressing out anger produces strife.
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For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife.