New International Version NIV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance. This man’s utterance to Ithiel: “I am weary, God, but I can prevail.
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The words of Agur son of Jakeh of Massa. The man says to Ith'i-el, to Ith'i-el and Ucal:
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding.
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Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.
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I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
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Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up 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? Surely you know!
5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
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Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
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Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7 “Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
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Two things I ask of thee; deny them not to me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
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Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
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lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.
10 “Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.
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Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
11 “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;
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There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
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There are those who are pure in their own eyes but are not cleansed of their filth.
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;
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There are those--how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!
14 those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.
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There are those whose teeth are swords, whose teeth are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among men.
15 “The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
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The leech has two daughters; "Give, give," they cry. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough":
16 the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
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Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire which never says, "Enough."
17 “The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.
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The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:
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Three things are too wonderful for me; four 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 high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman.
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the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’
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This is the way of an adulteress: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."
21 “Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
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Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:
22 a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
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a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;
23 a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress.
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an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
24 “Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:
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Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:
25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
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the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;
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the badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;
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the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;
28 a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
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the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings' palaces.
29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:
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Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;
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the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt.
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the strutting cock, the he-goat, and a king striding before his people.
32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth!
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If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.
33 For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.”
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For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.