| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New International Version |
| 1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: | 1The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh--an inspired utterance. This man's utterance to Ithiel: "I am weary, God, but I can prevail. |
| 2Surely I am more stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man. | 2Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. |
| 3Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. | 3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One. |
| 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! | 4Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped 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? Surely you know! |
| 5Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. | 5"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. |
| 6Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. | 6Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. |
| 7Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: | 7"Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die: |
| 8Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, | 8Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. |
| 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. | 9Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. |
| 10Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty. | 10"Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it. |
| 11There is a kind of man who curses his father And does not bless his mother. | 11"There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; |
| 12There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness. | 12those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; |
| 13There is a kind-- oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance. | 13those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; |
| 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. | 14those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind. |
| 15The leech has two daughters, "Give," "Give." There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, "Enough": | 15"The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry. "There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!': |
| 16Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, "Enough." | 16the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!' |
| 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. | 17"The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures. |
| 18There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand: | 18"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: |
| 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. | 19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman. |
| 20This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, "I have done no wrong." | 20"This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.' |
| 21Under three things the earth quakes, And under four, it cannot bear up: | 21"Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: |
| 22Under a slave when he becomes king, And a fool when he is satisfied with food, | 22a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, |
| 23Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband, And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress. | 23a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress. |
| 24Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: | 24"Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: |
| 25The ants are not a strong people, But they prepare their food in the summer; | 25Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; |
| 26The shephanim are not mighty people, Yet they make their houses in the rocks; | 26hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; |
| 27The locusts have no king, Yet all of them go out in ranks; | 27locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; |
| 28The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings' palaces. | 28a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces. |
| 29There are three things which are stately in their march, Even four which are stately when they walk: | 29"There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: |
| 30The lion which is mighty among beasts And does not retreat before any, | 30a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; |
| 31The strutting rooster, the male goat also, And a king when his army is with him. | 31a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt. |
| 32If you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth. | 32"If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! |
| 33For the churning of milk produces butter, And pressing the nose brings forth blood; So the churning of anger produces strife. | 33For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." |
| 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 | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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