30
The Words of Agur
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the 1Or burdenoracle.
The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Surely I am more APs 49:10; 73:22; Prov 12:1stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man.
3 Neither have I learned wisdom,
Nor do I have the AProv 9:10knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has APs 68:18; John 3:13; Eph 4:8ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the BEx 15:10; Ps 135:7wind in His fists?
Who has CJob 26:8; 38:8, 9wrapped the waters in 1Lit theHis garment?
Who has DPs 24:2; Is 45:18established all the ends of the earth?
What is His ERev 19:12name or His son’s name?
Surely you know!
5 Every APs 12:6; 18:30word of God is tested;
He is a BPs 3:3; 84:11; Prov 2:7shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 ADeut 4:2; 12:32; Rev 22:18Do not add to His words
Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.
7 Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep deception and 1Lit words of falsehoodlies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the AJob 23:12; Matt 6:11food that is my portion,
9 That I not be ADeut 8:12; 31:20; Neh 9:25; Hos 13:6full and deny BJosh 24:27; Job 31:28You and say, “Who is the Loʀᴅ?”
Or that I not be CProv 6:30in want and steal,
And DEx 20:7profane the name of my God.
10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
Or he will AEccl 7:21curse you and you will be found guilty.
And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a 1Or generationkind who is AProv 16:2; Is 65:5; Luke 18:11; Titus 1:15, 16pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
And his BJob 29:17jaw teeth like knives,
To CPs 14:4; Amos 8:4devour the afflicted from the earth
And the needy from among men.
15 The leech has two daughters,
“Give,” “Give.”
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, “Enough”:
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “Enough.”
17 The eye that AGen 9:22mocks a father
And 1Lit despises to obeyBProv 15:20scorns a mother,
The CDeut 28:26ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young CDeut 28:26eagles will eat it.
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
19 The way of an ADeut 28:49; Jer 48:40; 49:22eagle 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.
20 This is the way of an AProv 5:6adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wrong.”
21 Under three things the earth quakes,
And under four, it cannot bear up:
22 Under a AProv 19:10; Eccl 10:7slave when he becomes king,
And a fool when he is satisfied with food,
23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.
24 Four things are small on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The AProv 6:6ants are not a strong people,
But they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The 1Small, shy, furry animals (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region round the Dead Sea; KJV coney, orig NASB badgersALev 11:5; Ps 104:18shephanim are not mighty people,
Yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet all of them go out in AJoel 2:7ranks;
28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands,
Yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29 There are three things which are stately in their march,
Even four which are stately when they walk:
And does not 1Lit turn backBMic 5:8retreat before any,
31 The 1Lit girt in the loinsstrutting rooster, the male goat also,
And a king when his army is with him.
32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself
33 For the 1Lit pressingchurning of milk produces butter,
And pressing the nose brings forth blood;
So the 1Lit pressingchurning of AProv 10:12; 29:22anger produces strife.
130:1 Or burden
A30:2 Ps 49:10; 73:22; Prov 12:1
A30:4 Ps 68:18; John 3:13; Eph 4:8
130:4 Lit the
A30:6 Deut 4:2; 12:32; Rev 22:18
130:8 Lit words of falsehood
A30:9 Deut 8:12; 31:20; Neh 9:25; Hos 13:6
130:11 Or generation
130:12 Or generation
A30:12 Prov 16:2; Is 65:5; Luke 18:11; Titus 1:15, 16
130:13 Or generation
A30:13 Prov 6:17; Is 2:11; 5:15
130:14 Or generation
130:16 I.e. The nether world
130:17 Lit despises to obey
A30:19 Deut 28:49; Jer 48:40; 49:22
130:26 Small, shy, furry animals (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region round the Dead Sea; KJV coney, orig NASB badgers
130:30 Lit turn back
130:31 Lit girt in the loins
A30:32 Job 21:5; 40:4; Mic 7:16
130:33 Lit pressing
130:33 Lit pressing