| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out. | 1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man's oration to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: |
| 2Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man. | 2I am more stupid than any other man, and I lack man's ability to understand. |
| 3I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. | 3I have not gained wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. |
| 4Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son—surely you know! | 4Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son-- if you know? |
| 5Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. | 5Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. |
| 6Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar. | 6Don't add to His words, or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar. |
| 7Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die: | 7Two things I ask of You; don't deny them to me before I die: |
| 8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. | 8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. |
| 9Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God. | 9Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, "Who is the LORD?" or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God. |
| 10Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt. | 10Don't slander a servant to his master or he will curse you, and you will become guilty. |
| 11There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. | 11There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother. |
| 12There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth. | 12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth. |
| 13There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances— | 13There is a generation--how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks. |
| 14there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men. | 14There is a generation whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, devouring the oppressed from the land and the needy from among mankind. |
| 15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: | 15The leech has two daughters: "Give, Give!" Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough!": |
| 16Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ | 16Sheol; a childless womb; earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, "Enough!" |
| 17As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it. | 17As for the eye that ridicules a father and despises obedience to a mother, may ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures eat it. |
| 18There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand: | 18Three things are beyond me; four I can't understand: |
| 19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden. | 19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a young woman. |
| 20This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’ | 20This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, "I've done nothing wrong." |
| 21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: | 21The earth trembles under three things; it cannot bear up under four: |
| 22a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food, | 22a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is stuffed with food, |
| 23an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress. | 23an unloved woman when she marries, and a servant girl when she ousts her queen. |
| 24Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: | 24Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: |
| 25The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; | 25the ants are not a strong people, yet they store up their food in the summer; |
| 26the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; | 26hyraxes are not a mighty people, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; |
| 27the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation; | 27locusts have no king, yet all of them march in ranks; |
| 28and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings. | 28a lizard can be caught in your hands, yet it lives in kings' palaces. |
| 29There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk: | 29Three things are stately in their stride, even four are stately in their walk: |
| 30a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything; | 30a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn't retreat before anything, |
| 31a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him. | 31a strutting rooster, a goat, and a king at the head of his army. |
| 32If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth. | 32If you have been foolish by exalting yourself or if you've been scheming, put your hand over your mouth. |
| 33For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.” | 33For the churning of milk produces butter, and twisting a nose draws blood, and stirring up anger produces strife. |
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