International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1A discourse by the faithful collector. This is what this valiant man declared to the God with me, to the God with me, who then prevailed:

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

2Surely I am beyond the senselessness of any man; I do not perceive things the way human beings do.

2Surely I am more stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man.

3I never acquired wisdom, but I know what the Holy One knows.

3Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

4Who has ascended to heaven, and then descended? Who has collected the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped up waters in a garment? Who has established all the farthest points of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!

4Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son's name? Surely you know!

5Everything God says is pure; he is a shield for those who take refuge in him.

5Every word of God is tested; 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 shown to be a liar.

6Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

7God, I have asked you for two things— don't refuse me before I die—

7Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die:

8Keep deception and lies far away from me, and give me neither poverty nor wealth. Feed me with food that I need for today,

8Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,

9so that I don't become overfed and deny you by saying, "Who is the LORD?" or so that I don't become poor and steal, and then misuse the name of my God.

9That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.

10Don't lie about a servant to his master, or that servant will curse you and you will pay for it.

10Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.

11Some people curse their fathers and won't bless their mothers.

11There is a kind of man who curses his father And does not bless his mother.

12Some people view themselves as pure, but haven't been cleansed from their own filth.

12There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness.

13Some people —what an arrogant look they have!— raise their eyebrows haughtily.

13There is a kind-- oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.

14Some people have swords for teeth and knives for fangs to devour the afflicted from the earth and the needy from among mankind.

14There is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords And his jaw teeth like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men.

15The leech has two daughters: "Give" and "Give". Three things will never be satisfied; four will never say "Enough"—

15The leech has two daughters, "Give," "Give." There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, "Enough":

16The afterlife, the barren womb, earth that still demands water, and fire—they never say, "Enough".

16Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, "Enough."

17The eye that mocks a father and looks with a disobedient attitude at a mother— the valley ravens will pluck it out; and vultures will eat it.

17The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.

18Three things cause wonder for me; four are beyond my understanding:

18There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand:

19The way an eagle flies 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 young woman.

19The way of an eagle in the sky, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the middle of the sea, And the way of a man with a maid.

20This is what an immoral woman is like: she eats, wipes her mouth, then says "I've done nothing wrong."

20This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, "I have done no wrong."

21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot remain steady:

21Under three things the earth quakes, And under four, it cannot bear up:

22Under a slave when he becomes a king, a fool when he is overfed,

22Under a slave when he becomes king, And a fool when he is satisfied with food,

23an unloved woman when she finds a husband, and a servant girl who inherits from her mistress.

23Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband, And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

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

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

25Ants aren't a strong species, yet they prepare their food in the summer.

25The ants are not a strong people, But they prepare their food in the summer;

26The rock badgers aren't a strong species either, yet they build their dens in the rocks.

26The shephanim are not mighty people, Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

27Locusts have no king, but they all swarm in ranks.

27The locusts have no king, Yet all of them go out in ranks;

28Spiders can be caught by the hand, yet they're found in kings' palaces.

28The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings' palaces.

29Three things are stately in procession, four which are stately in their gait:

29There are three things which are stately in their march, Even four which are stately when they walk:

30The lion, mighty among the beasts, retreats before nothing.

30The lion which is mighty among beasts And does not retreat before any,

31The strutting rooster, as well as the goat, and a king with his army.

31The strutting rooster, the male goat also, And a king when his army is with him.

32If you've foolishly exalted yourself or if you've plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.

32If you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.

33Just as whipping milk produces butter, and twisting the nose causes bleeding, so also stirring up anger produces contention.

33For the churning of milk produces butter, And pressing the nose brings forth blood; So the churning of anger produces strife.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org