Christian Standard Bible

King James Bible

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

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

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

2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

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

3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

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 hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

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

5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

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

6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

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

7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not 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 vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient 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 thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

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

10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

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

11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

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

12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

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

13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

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 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 men.

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

15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

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

16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is 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 mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

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

18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

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 air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

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

20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

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

21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

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

22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

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

23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

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

24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding 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 prepare their meat in the summer;

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

26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

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

27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

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

28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

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

29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

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

30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

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

31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

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

32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

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

33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

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

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.