King James Bible | International Standard Version |
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, | 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: |
2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. | 2Surely I am beyond the senselessness of any man; I do not perceive things the way human beings do. |
3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. | 3I never acquired wisdom, but I know what the Holy One knows. |
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? | 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! |
5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. | 5Everything God says is pure; he is a shield for those who take refuge in him. |
6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. | 6Don't add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be shown to be a liar. |
7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: | 7God, I have asked you for two things— don't refuse me before I die— |
8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: | 8Keep deception and lies far away from me, and give me neither poverty nor wealth. Feed me with food that I need for today, |
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. | 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. |
10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. | 10Don't lie about a servant to his master, or that servant will curse you and you will pay for it. |
11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. | 11Some people curse their fathers and won't bless their mothers. |
12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. | 12Some people view themselves as pure, but haven't been cleansed from their own filth. |
13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. | 13Some people —what an arrogant look they have!— raise their eyebrows haughtily. |
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. | 14Some people have swords for teeth and knives for fangs to devour the afflicted from the earth and the needy from among mankind. |
15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: | 15The leech has two daughters: "Give" and "Give". Three things will never be satisfied; four will never say "Enough"— |
16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. | 16The afterlife, the barren womb, earth that still demands water, and fire—they never say, "Enough". |
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. | 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. |
18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: | 18Three things cause wonder for me; four are beyond my understanding: |
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. | 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. |
20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. | 20This is what an immoral woman is like: she eats, wipes her mouth, then says "I've done nothing wrong." |
21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: | 21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot remain steady: |
22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; | 22Under a slave when he becomes a king, a fool when he is overfed, |
23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress. | 23an unloved woman when she finds a husband, and a servant girl who inherits from her mistress. |
24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: | 24Four things on earth are small, but they are very, very wise: |
25The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; | 25Ants aren't a strong species, yet they prepare their food in the summer. |
26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; | 26The rock badgers aren't a strong species either, yet they build their dens in the rocks. |
27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; | 27Locusts have no king, but they all swarm in ranks. |
28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces. | 28Spiders can be caught by the hand, yet they're found in kings' palaces. |
29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: | 29Three things are stately in procession, four which are stately in their gait: |
30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; | 30The lion, mighty among the beasts, retreats before nothing. |
31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up. | 31The strutting rooster, as well as the goat, and a king with his army. |
32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. | 32If you've foolishly exalted yourself or if you've plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth. |
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. | 33Just as whipping milk produces butter, and twisting the nose causes bleeding, so also stirring up anger produces contention. |
King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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