New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

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

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

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

3I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.

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

4Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound 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, If you know?

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?

5Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

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

6Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

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

7Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die):

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

8Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me;

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

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.

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.

10Do not malign a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

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

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

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

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

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

13There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.

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

14There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.

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

15The leech has two daughters— Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”:

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

16The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water— And the fire never says, “Enough!”

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

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

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.

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

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

19The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin.

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.

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

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

21For three things the earth is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up:

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

22For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food,

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

23A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

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

24There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:

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

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

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

26The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags;

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

27The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks;

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

28The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces.

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

29There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk:

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

30A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any;

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

31A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him.

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

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

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

33For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

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

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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