1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh, an oracle: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal.

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

2 Surely I am more ignorant than anyone, and I lack human understanding.

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

3 I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.

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

4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped 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!

Who 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?

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

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

6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

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

7 Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die:

Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

9 Otherwise, 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.

Lest 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 There is a generation whose eyes are so arrogant, whose eyelids are lifted up in pride.

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

14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.

There 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.

15 The leech has two daughters: 'Give! Give!' There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!'

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

16 The grave, the barren womb, land that is never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, 'Enough!'

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

17 The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

The 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.

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

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

19 The way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the sea, and the way of a man with a young woman.

The 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.

20 This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, 'I have done nothing wrong.'

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

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

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

22 A servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,

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

23 an unloved woman when she gets married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.

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

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

There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer.

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

26 Rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags.

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

27 Locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks.

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

28 A lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.

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

29 There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:

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

30 A lion, mighty among beasts, who does not retreat before any;

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

31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt.

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

32 If you have acted foolishly by exalting yourself, or if you have devised evil, put your hand over your mouth.

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

33 For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.

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