Third Millennium Bible TMB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spoke unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal:
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The words of Agur, son of Jakeh. Agur's prophetic revelation. This man's declaration: "I'm weary, O God. I'm weary and worn out, O God.
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
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I'm more [like] a dumb animal than a human being. I don't [even] have human understanding.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
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I haven't learned wisdom. I don't have knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who hath ascended up into heaven or hath 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's name, if thou canst tell?
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"Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand? Who has wrapped water in a garment? Who has set up the earth from one end to the other? What is his name or the name of his son? Certainly, you must know!
5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.
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"Every word of God has proven to be true. He is a shield to those who come to him for protection.
6 Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee and thou be found a liar.
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Do not add to his words, or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar.
7 Two things have I required of Thee; deny me them not before I die:
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"I've asked you for two things. Don't keep them from me before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me only food sufficient for me,
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Keep vanity and lies far away from me. Don't give me either poverty or riches. Feed me [only] the food I need,
9 lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say, "Who is the LORD?"" or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
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or I may feel satisfied and deny you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' or I may become poor and steal and give the name of my God a bad reputation.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee and thou be found guilty.
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"Do not slander a slave to his master. The slave will curse you, and you will be found guilty."
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
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A certain kind of person curses his father and does not bless his mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
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A certain kind of person thinks he is pure but is not washed from his own feces.
13 There is a generation -- O how lofty are their eyes, and their eyelids are lifted up!
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A certain kind of person looks around arrogantly and is conceited.
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.
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A certain kind of person, whose teeth are like swords and whose jaws are [like] knives, devours oppressed people from the earth and people from among humanity.
15 The horseleech hath two daughters, crying, "Give, give!" There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things that say not, "It is enough":
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The bloodsucking leech has two daughters--"Give!" and "Give!" Three things are never satisfied. Four never say, "Enough!":
16 the grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not filled with water, and the fire that saith not, "It is enough."
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the grave, a barren womb, a land that never gets enough water, a fire that does not say, "Enough!"
17 The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
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The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a mother will be plucked out by ravens in the valley and eaten by young vultures.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
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Three things are too amazing to me, even four that I cannot understand:
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 of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.
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an eagle making its way through the sky, a snake making its way over a rock, a ship making its way through high seas, a man making his way with a virgin.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, "I have done no wickedness."
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This is the way of a woman who commits adultery: She eats, wipes her mouth, and says, "I haven't done anything wrong!"
21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
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Three things cause the earth to tremble, even four it cannot bear up under:
22 for a servant when he reigneth, and a fool when he is filled with meat,
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a slave when he becomes king, a godless fool when he is filled with food,
23 for an odious woman when she is married, and a handmaid who is heir to her mistress.
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a woman who is unloved when she gets married, a maid when she replaces her mistress.
24 There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
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Four things on earth are small, yet they are very wise:
25 the ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
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Ants are not a strong species, yet they store their food in summer.
26 the conies are but a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks;
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Rock badgers are not a mighty species, yet they make their home in the rocks.
27 the locusts have no king, yet they go forth, all of them in ranks;
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Locusts have no king, yet all of them divide into swarms by instinct.
28 the spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
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A lizard you can hold in your hands, yet it can even be found in royal palaces.
29 There are three things which go well, yea, four which are comely in their goings:
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There are three things that walk with dignity, even four that march with dignity:
30 a lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
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a lion, mightiest among animals, which turns away from nothing,
31 a greyhound, a hegoat also, and a king against whom there is no rising up.
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a strutting rooster, a male goat, a king at the head of his army.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in exalting thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
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If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself, or if you scheme, you had better put your hand over your mouth.
33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the stirring of wrath bringeth forth strife.
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As churning milk produces butter and punching a nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces a fight.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.