Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The pronouncement. The man's oration to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.

2I am more stupid than any other person, and I lack a human's ability to understand.

2Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.

3I have not gained wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.

3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

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?

4Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up 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? Surely you know!

5Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

5Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6Don't add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.

6Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

7Two things I ask of you; don't deny them to me before I die:

7Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:

8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need.

8Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,

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.

9lest 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.

10Don't slander a servant to his master or he will curse you, and you will become guilty.

10Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

11There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.

11There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth.

12There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.

13There is a generation--how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks.

13There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!

14There is a generation whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, devouring the oppressed from the land and the needy from among mankind.

14There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.

15The leech has two daughters: "Give, Give!" Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough!":

15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:

16Sheol; a childless womb; earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, "Enough!"

16Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

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.

17The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

18Three things are too wondrous for me; four I can't understand:

18Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not 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 young woman.

19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a virgin.

20This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, "I've done nothing wrong."

20This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.”

21The earth trembles under three things; it cannot bear up under four:

21Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:

22a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is stuffed with food,

22a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;

23an unloved woman when she marries, and a servant girl when she ousts her queen.

23an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.

24Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

24Four things on earth are small, but they are exceedingly wise:

25ants are not a strong people, yet they store up their food in the summer;

25the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;

26hyraxes are not a mighty people, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

26the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

27locusts have no king, yet all of them march in ranks;

27the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;

28a lizard can be caught in your hands, yet it lives in kings' palaces.

28the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29Three things are stately in their stride; four are stately in their walk:

29Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:

30a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn't retreat before anything;

30the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;

31a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king at the head of his army.

31the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.

32If you have been foolish by exalting yourself or if you've been scheming, put your hand over your mouth.

32If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.

33For the churning of milk produces butter, and twisting a nose draws blood, and stirring up anger produces strife.

33For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.