1
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spake 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 learned wisdom, nor have 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's name, if thou canst tell?
5
Every word of God [is] pure: 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 me [them] not before I die:
8
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
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].
10
Accuse 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 two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yea], four [things] say not, [It is] enough:
16
The grave; and the barren womb; 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 shall pick it out, and the young eagles 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 of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20
Such [is] the way of an adulterous woman; 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 cannot bear:
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 wise:
25
The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26
The conies [are but] a feeble folk, 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 go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30
A lion [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31
A greyhound; an he goat also; 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 forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
