The Words of Agur

1  דִּבְרֵ֤י׀ (The words) אָג֥וּר (of Agur) בִּן־ (son) יָקֶ֗ה (of Jakeh)— הַמַּ֫שָּׂ֥א (the burden), נְאֻ֣ם (a declaration) הַ֭גֶּבֶר (of the strong man) לְאִֽיתִיאֵ֑ל (to Ithiel), לְאִ֖יתִיאֵ֣ל (to Ithiel) וְאֻכָֽל׃ (and Ucal).

2  כִּ֤י (Surely) בַ֣עַר (more brutish) אָנֹכִ֣י (am I) מֵאִ֑ישׁ (than man),

וְלֹֽא־ (and not) בִינַ֖ת (the understanding) אָדָ֣ם (of man) לִֽי׃ (is unto me).

3  וְלֹֽא־ (And not) לָמַ֥דְתִּי (have I learned) חָכְמָ֑ה (wisdom),

וְדַ֖עַת (and nor the knowledge) קְדֹשִׁ֣ים (of holy ones) אֵדָֽע׃ (do I know).

4  מִ֤י (Who) עָלָֽה־ (has gone up) שָׁמַ֨יִם׀ (to the heavens) וַיֵּרַ֡ד (and descended)?

מִ֤י (Who) אָֽסַף־ (has gathered) ר֨וּחַ׀ (the wind) בְּחָפְנָ֡יו (in His fists)?

מִ֤י (Who) צָֽרַר־ (has bound) מַ֨יִם׀ (the waters) בַּשִּׂמְלָ֗ה (in His cloak)?

מִ֭י (Who) הֵקִ֣ים (has established) כָּל־ (all) אַפְסֵי־ (the ends) אָ֑רֶץ (of the earth)?

מַה־ (What) שְּׁמ֥וֹ (is His name), וּמַֽה־ (and what is) שֶּׁם־ (the name) בְּ֝נ֗וֹ (of His Son)—

כִּ֣י (surely) תֵדָֽע׃ (you must know)?

5  כָּל־ (Every) אִמְרַ֣ת (word) אֱל֣וֹהַּ (of God) צְרוּפָ֑ה (is refined);

מָגֵ֥ן (a shield) ה֝֗וּא (He is) לַֽחֹסִ֥ים (for those taking refuge) בּֽוֹ׃ (in Him).

6  אַל־ (Not) תּ֥וֹסְףְּ (do add) עַל־ (to) דְּבָרָ֑יו (His words),

פֶּן־ (lest) יוֹכִ֖יחַ (He rebuke) בְּךָ֣ (you), וְנִכְזָֽבְתָּ׃פ (and you be found a liar).

7  שְׁ֭תַּיִם (Two things) שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי (I have asked) מֵאִתָּ֑ךְ (of You);

אַל־ (do not) תִּמְנַ֥ע (withhold them) מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי (from me) בְּטֶ֣רֶם (before) אָמֽוּת׃ (I die):

8  שָׁ֤וְא׀ (Vanity) וּֽדְבַר־ (and the word) כָּזָ֡ב (of a lie) הַרְחֵ֬ק (may You put far away) מִמֶּ֗נִּי (from me);

רֵ֣אשׁ (poverty) וָ֭עֹשֶׁר (and wealth) אַל־ (do not) תִּֽתֶּן־ (give) לִ֑י (to me);

הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי (provide me) לֶ֣חֶם (the bread) חֻקִּֽי׃ (of my portion),

9  פֶּ֥ן (lest) אֶשְׂבַּ֨ע׀ (I become satisfied),

וְכִחַשְׁתִּי֮ (and I deny) וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי (and say), מִ֥י (Who is) יְה֫וָ֥ה (YHWH)?

וּפֶֽן־ (And lest) אִוָּרֵ֥שׁ (I become dispossessed) וְגָנַ֑בְתִּי (and steal),

וְ֝תָפַ֗שְׂתִּי (and I seize) שֵׁ֣ם (the name) אֱלֹהָֽי׃פ (of my God).

10  אַל־ (Not) תַּלְשֵׁ֣ן (do slander) עֶ֭בֶד (a servant) אֶל־ (to) אֲדֹנוֹ (his master),

פֶּֽן־ (lest) יְקַלֶּלְךָ֥ (he curse you) וְאָשָֽׁמְתָּ׃ (and you be found guilty).

11  דּ֭וֹר (A generation) אָבִ֣יו (its father) יְקַלֵּ֑ל (lightly esteems),

וְאֶת־ (and) אִ֝מּ֗וֹ (its mother) לֹ֣א (not) יְבָרֵֽךְ׃ (does bless)—

12  דּ֭וֹר (a generation) טָה֣וֹר (is pure) בְּעֵינָ֑יו (in its own eyes),

וּ֝מִצֹּאָת֗וֹ (and from its filth) לֹ֣א (not) רֻחָֽץ׃ (has been washed),

13  דּ֭וֹר (a generation)— מָה־ (how) רָמ֣וּ (high) עֵינָ֑יו (its eyes)

וְ֝עַפְעַפָּ֗יו (and its eyelids) יִנָּשֵֽׂאוּ׃ (are lifted up)—

14  דּ֤וֹר׀ (a generation), חֲרָב֣וֹת (swords) שִׁנָּיו֮ (are its teeth)

וּֽמַאֲכָל֪וֹת (are knives) מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥יו (its fangs),

לֶאֱכֹ֣ל (to devour) עֲנִיִּ֣ים (the poor) מֵאֶ֑רֶץ (from the earth)

וְ֝אֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים (and needy ones) מֵאָדָֽם׃פ (from mankind).

15  לַֽעֲלוּקָ֨ה׀ (Unto the leech are) שְׁתֵּ֥י (two) בָנוֹת֮ (daughters),

הַ֤ב׀ (Give) הַ֥ב (and Give).

שָׁל֣וֹשׁ (Three things) הֵ֭נָּה (are) לֹ֣א (never) תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה (satisfied), אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע (four) לֹא־ (never) אָ֥מְרוּ (say), הֽוֹן׃ (Enough)!’:

16  שְׁאוֹל֮ (Sheol);

וְעֹ֪צֶ֫ר (and the barren) רָ֥חַם (womb);

אֶ֭רֶץ (earth) לֹא־ (not) שָׂ֣בְעָה (satisfied with) מַּ֑יִם (water);

וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ (and the fire)— לֹא־ (never), אָ֥מְרָה (having said) הֽוֹן׃ (Enough).

17  עַ֤יִן׀ (The eye) תִּֽלְעַ֣ג (that mocks) לְאָב֮ (at a father)

וְתָב֪וּז (and despises) לִֽיקֲּהַ֫ת־ (obedience to) אֵ֥ם (a mother)—

יִקְּר֥וּהָ (will dig it out) עֹרְבֵי־ (the ravens) נַ֑חַל (of the valley)

וְֽיֹאכְל֥וּהָ (and will eat it) בְנֵי־ (the young) נָֽשֶׁר׃פ (eagles).

18  שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה (Three things) הֵ֭מָּה (they) נִפְלְא֣וּ (are wonderful) מִמֶּ֑נִּי (for me), וְאַרְבָּע (and four) לֹ֣א (not) יְדַעְתִּֽים׃ (can I know them):

19  דֶּ֤רֶךְ (The way) הַנֶּ֨שֶׁר׀ (of an eagle) בַּשָּׁמַיִם֮ (in the heavens),

דֶּ֥רֶךְ (the way) נָחָ֗שׁ (of a snake) עֲלֵ֫י (on) צ֥וּר (a rock),

דֶּֽרֶךְ־ (the way) אֳנִיָּ֥ה (of a ship) בְלֶב־ (in the midst) יָ֑ם (of the sea),

וְדֶ֖רֶךְ (and the way) גֶּ֣בֶר (of a man) בְּעַלְמָֽה׃ (with a maiden).

20  כֵּ֤ן׀ (This is) דֶּ֥רֶךְ (the way) אִשָּׁ֗ה (of a woman) מְנָ֫אָ֥פֶת (committing adultery):

אָ֭כְלָה (She eats) וּמָ֣חֲתָה (and has wiped) פִ֑יהָ (her mouth)

וְ֝אָמְרָ֗ה (and has said), לֹֽא־ (Not) פָעַ֥לְתִּי (I have done) אָֽוֶן׃פ (wickedness).

21  תַּ֣חַת (For) שָׁ֭לוֹשׁ (three things) רָ֣גְזָה (has trembled) אֶ֑רֶץ (the earth), וְתַ֥חַת (and for) אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע (four) לֹא־ (not) תוּכַ֥ל (it is able) שְׂאֵֽת׃ (to bear up):

22  תַּֽחַת־ (For) עֶ֭בֶד (a servant) כִּ֣י (when) יִמְל֑וֹךְ (he becomes king),

וְ֝נָבָ֗ל (and a fool) כִּ֣י (when) יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־ (he is filled with) לָֽחֶם׃ (food),

23  תַּ֣חַת (for) שְׂ֭נוּאָה (a hated woman) כִּ֣י (when) תִבָּעֵ֑ל (she is married),

וְ֝שִׁפְחָ֗ה (and a maidservant) כִּֽי־ (when) תִירַ֥שׁ (she dispossesses) גְּבִרְתָּֽהּ׃פ (her mistress).

24  אַרְבָּ֣עָה (Four things) הֵ֭ם (they) קְטַנֵּי־ (small on) אָ֑רֶץ (the earth), וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה (and they are) חֲכָמִ֥ים (than wise), מְחֻכָּמִֽים׃ (are wiser):

25  הַ֭נְּמָלִים (The ants are) עַ֣ם (a people) לֹא־ (not) עָ֑ז (strong), וַיָּכִ֖ינוּ (and they prepare) בַקַּ֣יִץ (in the summer) לַחְמָֽם׃ (their food).

26  שְׁ֭פַנִּים (The rock badgers) עַ֣ם (are a people) לֹא־ (not) עָצ֑וּם (strong), וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ (and they set) בַסֶּ֣לַע (in the cliffs) בֵּיתָֽם׃ (their home).

27  מֶ֭לֶךְ (A king) אֵ֣ין (does not are) לָאַרְבֶּ֑ה (unto the locust), וַיֵּצֵ֖א (and go they forth) חֹצֵ֣ץ (in formation) כֻּלּֽוֹ׃ (all of them);

28  שְׂ֭מָמִית (the lizard) בְּיָדַ֣יִם (in one’s hands) תְּתַפֵּ֑שׂ (can be caught), וְ֝הִ֗יא (and it is) בְּהֵ֣יכְלֵי (in the palaces) מֶֽלֶךְ׃פ (of king).

29  שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה (Three things), הֵ֭מָּה (they are) מֵיטִ֣יבֵי (are doing well) צָ֑עַד (of step), וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה (and four) מֵיטִ֥בֵי (are doing well) לָֽכֶת׃ (in the walk):

30  לַ֭יִשׁ (A lion), גִּבּ֣וֹר (mighty) בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה (among the beasts), וְלֹא־ (and not) יָ֝שׁ֗וּב (does it turn back) מִפְּנֵי־ (from the face) כֹֽל׃ (of anything);

31  זַרְזִ֣יר (one girded) מָתְנַ֣יִם (of loins),

אוֹ־ (or) תָ֑יִשׁ (a he-goat),

וּ֝מֶ֗לֶךְ (and a king)— אַלְק֥וּם (with his army) עִמּֽוֹ׃ (around him).

32  אִם־ (If) נָבַ֥לְתָּ (you have been foolish) בְהִתְנַשֵּׂ֑א (in lifting up yourself),

וְאִם־ (and if) זַ֝מּ֗וֹתָ (you have schemed)—

יָ֣ד (hand) לְפֶֽה׃ (to mouth)!

33  כִּ֤י (For as) מִ֪יץ (the churning) חָלָ֡ב (of milk) י֘וֹצִ֤יא (brings forth) חֶמְאָ֗ה (butter),

וּֽמִיץ־ (and pressing) אַ֭ף (of the nose) י֣וֹצִיא (brings forth) דָ֑ם (blood),

וּמִ֥יץ (and the pressing) אַ֝פַּ֗יִם (of anger) י֣וֹצִיא (brings forth) רִֽיב׃פ (strife).