[1] The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:
[2] Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man.
[3] I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.
[4] Who has ascended 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 you know?
[5] Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
[6] Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
[7] Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die):
[8] Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me;
[9] Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.
[10] Do not malign a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
[11] There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother.
[12] There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its 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 like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.
[15] The leech has two daughters— Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”:
[16] The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water— And the fire never says, “Enough!”
[17] The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to 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 do not understand:
[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 man with a virgin.
[20] This 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 is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
[22] For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food,
[23] A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
[24] There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:
[25] The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
[26] The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags;
[27] The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks;
[28] The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces.
[29] There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk:
[30] A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any;
[31] A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him.
[32] If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.
[33] For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife.