New Living Translation NLT
Hebrew Names Version HNV
1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.
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The words of Agur the son of Yakeh, the oracle: The man says to 'Iti'el, To 'Iti'el and Ucal:
2 I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.
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"Surely I am the most ignorant man, And don't have a man's understanding.
3 I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.
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I have not learned wisdom, Neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name—and his son’s name? Tell me if you know!
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Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the eretz? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?
5 Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
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"Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
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Don't you add to his words, Lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
7 O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.
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"Two things I have asked of you; Don't deny me before I die:
8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
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Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;
9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD ?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
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Lest I be full, deny you, and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or lest I be poor, and steal, And so dishonor the name of my God.
10 Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.
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"Don't slander a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
11 Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother.
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There is a generation that curses their father, And doesn't bless their mother.
12 They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.
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There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, Yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances.
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There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
14 They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
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There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And their jaws like knives, To devour the poor from the eretz, and the needy from among men.
15 The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More, more!” There are three things that are never satisfied— no, four that never say, “Enough!”:
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"The leach has two daughters: 'Give, give.' "There are three things that are never satisfied; Four that don't say, 'Enough:'
16 the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.
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She'ol, the barren womb; The eretz that is not satisfied with water; The fire that doesn't say, 'Enough;'
17 The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.
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And the eye that mocks at his father, And scorns obedience to his mother: The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, The young eagles shall eat it.
18 There are three things that amaze me— no, four things that I don’t understand:
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"There are three things which are too amazing for me, Four which I don't understand:
19 how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.
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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 maiden.
20 An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?”
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So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, 'I have done nothing wrong.'
21 There are three things that make the earth tremble— no, four it cannot endure:
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"For three things the eretz tremble, And under four, it can't bear up:
22 a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers,
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For a servant when he is king; A fool when he is filled with food;
23 a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.
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For an unloved woman when she is married; And a handmaid who is heir to her mistress.
24 There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
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"There are four things which are little on the eretz, But they are exceeding wise:
25 Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer.
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The ants are not a strong people, Yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 Hyraxes —they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks.
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The conies are but a feeble folk, Yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation.
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The locusts have no king, Yet they advance in ranks;
28 Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.
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You can catch a lizard with your hands, Yet she is in kings' palaces.
29 There are three things that walk with stately stride— no, four that strut about:
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"There are three things which are stately in their march, Four which are stately in going:
30 the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,
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The lion, which is mightiest among animals, And doesn't turn away for any;
31 the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.
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The greyhound, the male goat also; And the king against whom there is no rising up.
32 If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame.
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"If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, Or if you have thought evil, Put your hand over your mouth.
33 As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.
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For as the churning of milk brings forth butter, And the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; So the forcing of wrath brings forth strife."
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.