1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spoke unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Surely I [am] more carnal 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 has ascended up 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 thou canst tell?
5 Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto those that put their trust in him.
6 Do not add unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two [things] have I required of thee; do not deny me [them] before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my judgment:
9 Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and blaspheme the name of my God.
10 Do not accuse a servant in the presence of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 [There is] a generation [that] curses their father, and does 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 molars [as] knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the destitute from [among] men.
15 The horseleach has two daughters, [which are called], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yea], four [things] say not, [It is] enough:
16 Sheol; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] never says, [It is] enough.
17 The eye [that] mocks at [his] father, and despises the teaching of [his] mother, the ravens shall pluck it out of the river, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There are three [things which] are hidden from me, [yea], four which I know not:
19 The track of the eagle in the air; the track of the serpent upon the rock; the track of the ship in the midst of the sea; and the track of the man in the maid.
20 Such [is] the track of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.
21 For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and the fourth it cannot bear:
22 For a servant when he reigns; and a fool when he is filled with bread;
23 for a rejected [woman] when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 There are four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] wiser than the wise men:
25 The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 the conies [are but] a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 the locusts have no king, yet all of them go forth by bands;
28 the spider takes hold with her hands and is in kings' palaces.
29 There are three [things] which have a magnificent walk; [yea], the fourth is stately in going:
30 The lion [which is] strongest among beasts and does not turn away for any;
31 [the greyhound] who is girded up of loins; a he goat also, and the king, against whom no one rises up.
32 If thou hast fallen, it is because thou hast lifted thyself up; and if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 Surely the churning of milk brings forth butter and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.: