The words of Agur
the son
of Jakeh
, even the prophecy
: the man
spake
unto Ithiel
, even unto Ithiel
and Ucal
,
Surely I am more brutish than any man
, and have not the understanding
of a man
.
I neither learned wisdom
, nor have
the knowledge
of the holy
.
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
?
Every word of God
is pure
: he is a shield
unto them that put their trust
in him.
Add thou not unto his words
, lest he reprove
thee, and thou be found a liar
.
Two things have I required
of thee; deny
me them not before I die
:
Remove far from me vanity
and lies
: give
me neither poverty
nor riches
; feed
me with food
convenient
for me:
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 .
Accuse not a servant
unto his master
, lest he curse
thee, and thou be found guilty
.
There is a generation that curseth
their father
, and doth not bless
their mother
.
There is a generation that are pure
in their own eyes
, and yet is not washed
from their filthiness
.
There is a generation, O how lofty
are their eyes
! and their eyelids
are lifted up
.
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
.
The horseleach hath two
daughters
, crying , Give
, give
. There are three
things that are never satisfied
, yea , four
things say
not, It is enough
:
The grave; and the barren
womb
; the earth
that is not filled
with water
; and the fire
that saith
not, It is enough
.
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.
There be three things which are too wonderful
for me, yea, four
which I know
not:
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
.
Such is the way of an adulterous
woman
; she eateth
, and wipeth
her mouth
, and saith
, I have done
no wickedness
.
For three things the earth
is disquieted
, and for four
which it cannot
bear
:
For a servant when he reigneth
; and a fool
when he is filled
with meat
;
For an odious woman when she is married
; and an handmaid
that is heir
to her mistress
.
There be four things which are little
upon the earth
, but they are exceeding
wise
:
The ants are a people
not strong
, yet they prepare
their meat
in the summer
;
The conies are but a feeble
folk
, yet make
they their houses
in the rocks
;
The locusts have no king
, yet go they forth
all of them by bands
;
The spider taketh hold
with her hands
, and is in kings
' palaces
.
There be three things which go
well
, yea, four
are comely
in going
:
A lion which is strongest
among beasts
, and turneth not away
for
any;
A greyhound; an he goat
also
; and a king
, against whom there is no rising up
.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up
thyself, or if thou hast thought evil
, lay thine hand
upon thy mouth
.
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
.