^{1 Ref} Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: -- I have wearied myself `for' God, I have wearied myself `for' God, and am consumed.

^{2 Ref} For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.

^{3 Ref} Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.

^{4 Ref} Who went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What `is' His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!

^{5 Ref} Every saying of God `is' tried, A shield He `is' to those trusting in Him.

^{6 Ref} Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.

^{7 Ref} Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from me before I die.

^{8 Ref} Vanity and a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,

^{9 Ref} Lest I become satiated, and have denied, And have said, `Who `is' Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the name of my God.

^{10 Ref} Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.

^{11 Ref} A generation `is', that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother doth not bless.

^{12 Ref} A generation -- pure in their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.

^{13 Ref} A generation -- how high are their eyes, Yea, their eyelids are lifted up.

^{14 Ref} A generation -- swords `are' their teeth, And knives -- their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from earth, And the needy from `among' men.

^{15 Ref} To the leech `are' two daughters, `Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said `Sufficiency;'

^{16 Ref} Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth -- it `is' not satisfied `with' water, And fire -- it hath not said, `Sufficiency,'

^{17 Ref} An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.

^{18 Ref} Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:

^{19 Ref} The way of the eagle in the heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.

^{20 Ref} So -- the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, `I have not done iniquity.'

²¹ For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four -- it is not able to bear:

^{22 Ref} For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,

^{23 Ref} For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.

^{24 Ref} Four `are' little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:

^{25 Ref} The ants `are' a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,

^{26 Ref} Conies `are' a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,

^{27 Ref} A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out -- each one shouting,

²⁸ A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.

²⁹ Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:

^{30 Ref} An old lion -- mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,

^{31 Ref} A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king -- no rising up with him.

^{32 Ref} If thou hast been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil -- hand to mouth!

^{33 Ref} For the churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!

^{1 Ref} The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end:

^{2 Ref} For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man:

^{3 Ref} I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.

^{4 Ref} Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?

^{5 Ref} Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him.

^{6 Ref} Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.

^{7 Ref} I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:

^{8 Ref} Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food:

^{9 Ref} For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.

^{10 Ref} Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.

^{11 Ref} There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother.

^{12 Ref} There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.

^{13 Ref} There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up!

^{14 Ref} There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.

^{15 Ref} The night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough:

^{16 Ref} The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which never says, Enough.

^{17 Ref} The eye which makes sport of a father, and sees no value in a mother when she is old will be rooted out by the ravens of the valley, and be food for the young eagles.

^{18 Ref} There are three things, the wonder of which overcomes me, even four things outside my knowledge:

^{19 Ref} The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a girl.

^{20 Ref} This is the way of a false wife; she takes food, and, cleaning her mouth, says, I have done no wrong.

²¹ For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:

^{22 Ref} A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;

^{23 Ref} A hated woman when she is married; and a servant-girl who takes the place of her master's wife.

^{24 Ref} There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are very wise:

^{25 Ref} The ants are a people not strong, but they put by a store of food in the summer;

^{26 Ref} The conies are only a feeble people, but they make their houses in the rocks;

^{27 Ref} The locusts have no king, but they all go out in bands;

²⁸ You may take the lizard in your hands, but it is in kings' houses.

²⁹ There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:

^{30 Ref} The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;

^{31 Ref} The war-horse, and the he-goat, and the king when his army is with him.

^{32 Ref} If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your mouth.

^{33 Ref} The shaking of milk makes butter, and the twisting of the nose makes blood come: so the forcing of wrath is a cause of fighting.

^{1 Ref} The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; The oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal:

^{2 Ref} Surely I am more brutish than any man, And have not the understanding of a man;

^{3 Ref} And I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

^{4 Ref} Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?

^{5 Ref} Every word of God is tried: He is a shield unto them that take refuge in him.

^{6 Ref} Add thou not unto his words, Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

^{7 Ref} Two things have I asked of thee; Deny me `them' not before I die:

^{8 Ref} Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me:

^{9 Ref} Lest I be full, and deny `thee', and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God.

^{10 Ref} Slander not a servant unto his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.

^{11 Ref} There is a generation that curse their father, And bless not their mother.

^{12 Ref} There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, And `yet' are not washed from their filthiness.

^{13 Ref} There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.

^{14 Ref} 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 Ref} The horseleach hath two daughters, `crying', Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, `Yea', four that say not, Enough:

^{16 Ref} Sheol; and the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; And the fire that saith not, Enough.

^{17 Ref} 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 Ref} There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yea, four which I know not:

^{19 Ref} 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 maiden.

^{20 Ref} So is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, I have done no wickedness.

²¹ For three things the earth doth tremble, And for four, `which' it cannot bear:

^{22 Ref} For a servant when he is king; And a fool when he is filled with food;

^{23 Ref} For an odious woman when she is married; And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

^{24 Ref} There are four things which are little upon the earth, But they are exceeding wise:

^{25 Ref} The ants are a people not strong, Yet they provide their food in the summer;

^{26 Ref} The conies are but a feeble folk, Yet make they their houses in the rocks;

^{27 Ref} The locusts have no king, Yet go they forth all of them by bands;

²⁸ The lizard taketh hold with her hands, Yet is she in kings' palaces.

²⁹ There are three things which are stately in their march, Yea, four which are stately in going:

^{30 Ref} The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, And turneth not away for any;

^{31 Ref} The greyhound; the he-goat also; And the king against whom there is no rising up.

^{32 Ref} If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, Or if thou hast thought evil, `Lay' thy hand upon thy mouth.

^{33 Ref} For the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood; So the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.