27[IS] AN ABOMINATION OF RIGHTEOUS [PEOPLE] A PERSON OF INJUSTICE AND [IS] AN ABOMINATION OF [THE] WICKED A [PERSON] UPRIGHT OF WAY 27An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.
1[THE] WORDS OF AGUR [THE] SON OF JAKEH THE ORACLE [THE] UTTERANCE OF THE MAN TO ITHIEL TO ITHIEL AND UKAL The Words of Agur 1These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh— the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.*NoteCloseOr declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, but I can prevail. (revocalizations); Hebrew declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:
2THAT [AM] STUPID I MORE THAN ANYONE AND NOT [THE] UNDERSTANDING OF A PERSON [BELONGS] TO ME 2Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man
3AND NOT I HAVE LEARNED WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF [THE] HOLY [ONE<S>] I KNOW 3I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4WHO? HAS HE GONE UP HEAVEN AND HAS HE COME DOWN? WHO? HAS HE GATHERED [THE] WIND IN HANDS HIS WHO? HAS HE WRAPPED [THE] WATERS IN <THE> CLOAK WHO? HAS HE SET UP ALL [THE] ENDS OF [THE] EARTH WHAT? [IS] NAME HIS AND WHAT? [IS] [THE] NAME OF SON HIS FOR YOU KNOW 4Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His 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!
5EVERY WORD OF GOD [IS] REFINED [IS] A SHIELD HE FOR <THE> [THOSE WHO] TAKE REFUGE IN HIM 5Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6MAY NOT YOU ADD TO WORDS HIS LEST HE SHOULD REBUKE <IN> YOU AND YOU WILL BE PROVED A LIAR 6Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7TWO [THINGS] I ASK FROM WITH <THE> YOU MAY NOT YOU WITHHOLD [THEM] FROM ME <IN> BEFORE I WILL DIE 7Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:
8DECEITFULNESS AND A WORD OF FALSEHOOD PUT FAR AWAY FROM ME POVERTY AND WEALTH MAY NOT YOU GIVE TO ME LET DEVOUR ME [THE] FOOD OF ALLOTMENT MY 8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
9LEST I SHOULD BE SATISFIED AND I WILL DENY AND I WILL SAY WHO? [IS] YAHWEH AND LEST I SHOULD BECOME IMPOVERISHED AND I WILL STEAL AND I WILL SEIZE [THE] NAME OF GOD MY 9Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.
10MAY NOT YOU SLANDER A SLAVE TO MASTER<S> HIS LEST HE SHOULD CURSE YOU AND YOU WILL BE HELD GUILTY 10Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
11A GENERATION FATHER ITS IT CURSES AND <OBJ.> MOTHER ITS NOT IT BLESSES 11There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12A GENERATION [IS] PURE IN OWN EYES ITS AND FROM EXCREMENT ITS NOT IT HAS BEEN WASHED 12There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
13A GENERATION HOW! THEY ARE RAISED EYES ITS AND EYELIDS ITS THEY ARE LIFTED UP 13There is a generation— how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
14A GENERATION [ARE] SWORDS TEETH ITS AND [ARE] KNIVES JAW BONES ITS TO DEVOUR AFFLICTED [PEOPLE] FROM [THE] EARTH AND NEEDY [PEOPLE] FROM HUMANKIND 14there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
15[BELONG] TO A LEECH TWO DAUGHTERS GIVE GIVE THREE [THINGS] THEY NOT THEY ARE SATISFIED FOUR [THINGS] NOT THEY SAY ENOUGH 15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16SHEOL AND BARRENNESS OF A WOMB LAND [WHICH] NOT IT IS SATISFIED WATER AND FIRE [WHICH] NOT IT SAYS ENOUGH 16Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’
17AN EYE [WHICH] IT MOCKS <TO> A FATHER SO IT MAY DESPISE <TO> OBEDIENCE OF A MOTHER THEY WILL PLUCK OUT IT [THE] RAVENS OF [THE] WADI AND THEY WILL EAT IT [THE] YOUNG OF AN EAGLE 17As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
18THREE [THINGS] THEY THEY ARE [TOO] WONDERFUL FOR ME AND FOUR [THINGS] NOT I KNOW THEM 18There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
19[THE] WAY OF THE EAGLE IN THE HEAVENS [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 YOUNG WOMAN 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 maiden.
20[IS] THUS [THE] WAY OF A WOMAN ADULTEROUS SHE EATS AND SHE WIPES CLEAN MOUTH HER AND SHE SAYS NOT I HAVE DONE WICKEDNESS 20This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21UNDER THREE [THINGS] IT QUAKES [THE] EARTH AND UNDER FOUR [THINGS] NOT IT IS ABLE TO BEAR UP 21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22UNDER A SLAVE FOR HE WILL BECOME KING AND A FOOL FOR HE WILL BE SATISFIED FOOD 22a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23UNDER A HATED [WOMAN] FOR SHE WILL BE MARRIED AND A FEMALE SERVANT FOR SHE WILL DISPOSSESS MISTRESS HER 23an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
24FOUR [THINGS] THEY [ARE] SMALL [THINGS] OF [THE] EARTH AND THEY [ARE] WISE [THINGS] MADE WISE 24Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
25THE ANTS [ARE] A PEOPLE NOT STRONG AND THEY PREPARED IN THE SUMMER FOOD THEIR 25The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26ROCK BADGERS [ARE] A PEOPLE NOT MIGHTY AND THEY MADE IN THE ROCK[S] HOME THEIR 26the rock badgers*NoteCloseOr the coneys or the hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27A KING NOT [BELONGS] TO THE LOCUST AND IT WENT OUT DIVIDING ALL OF IT 27the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
28A LIZARD IN [TWO] HANDS YOU WILL GRASP AND IT [IS] IN [THE] PALACES OF A KING 28and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
29THREE [THINGS] THEY [ARE] DOING WELL OF STEP AND FOUR [THINGS] [ARE] DOING WELL <OF> TO WALK 29There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30A LION [IS] MIGHTY AMONG THE ANIMAL[S] AND NOT IT TURNS BACK FROM BEFORE ANYTHING 30a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31A ROOSTER OF LOINS OR A MALE GOAT AND A KING A BAND OF SOLDIERS WITH HIM 31a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.*NoteCloseOr a king against whom there is no rising up
32IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOOLISH BY EXALTING YOURSELF AND IF YOU HAVE PLOTTED HAND TO A MOUTH 32If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33FOR SQUEEZING OF MILK IT BRINGS FORTH BUTTER AND SQUEEZING OF A NOSE IT BRINGS FORTH BLOOD AND SQUEEZING OF ANGER<S> IT BRINGS FORTH STRIFE 33For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”