1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; The oracle. The [noble] man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, And don't have the understanding of man;
3 And I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I knowledge of the Holy One.
4 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 earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?
5 Every word of God is tried: He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Don't add to his words, Or else he will reprove you, and you will be found a liar.
7 Two things I have asked of you; Don't deny me [them] before I die:
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me:
9 Or else I will be full, and deny [you], and say, Who is Yahweh? Or else I will be poor, and steal, And profanely use the name of my God.
10 Don't slander a slave to his master, Or else he will curse you, and you will be held guilty.
11 There is a generation who curse their father, And do not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes, And [yet] are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, oh 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 man.
15 The horseleach has two daughters, [crying] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, [Yes], four that don't say, Enough:
16 Sheol; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that does not say, Enough.
17 The eye that mocks at his father, And despises to obey his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I don't know:
19 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 [noble] man with a young woman.
20 So is the way of an adulterous woman; She eats, and wipes her mouth, And says, I have done no wickedness.
21 For three things the earth trembles, And for four, [which] it can't bear:
22 For a slave when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food;
23 For an odious woman when she is married; And a female slave when she takes the place of her mistress.
24 There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants are not a strong people, Yet they provide their food 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 lizard, you can catch it with [your] hands, Yet is she in kings' palaces.
29 There are three things which are stately in their march, Yes, four which are stately in going:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And does not turn away for any;
31 The greyhound; the he-goat also; And the king against whom there is no rising up.
32 If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, Or if you have thought evil, [Lay] your hand on your mouth.
33 For the churning of milk brings forth butter, And the wringing of the nose brings forth blood; So the forcing of wrath brings forth strife.