Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The pronouncement. The man's oration to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: | 1A discourse by the faithful collector. This is what this valiant man declared to the God with me, to the God with me, who then prevailed: |
2I am more stupid than any other person, and I lack a human's ability to understand. | 2Surely I am beyond the senselessness of any man; I do not perceive things the way human beings do. |
3I have not gained wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. | 3I never acquired wisdom, but I know what the Holy One knows. |
4Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his hands? Who has bound up 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--if you know? | 4Who has ascended to heaven, and then descended? Who has collected the wind in his hands? Who has wrapped up waters in a garment? Who has established all the farthest points of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know! |
5Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. | 5Everything God says is pure; he is a shield for those who take refuge in him. |
6Don't add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar. | 6Don't add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be shown to be a liar. |
7Two things I ask of you; don't deny them to me before I die: | 7God, I have asked you for two things— don't refuse me before I die— |
8Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. | 8Keep deception and lies far away from me, and give me neither poverty nor wealth. Feed me with food that I need for today, |
9Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God. | 9so that I don't become overfed and deny you by saying, "Who is the LORD?" or so that I don't become poor and steal, and then misuse the name of my God. |
10Don't slander a servant to his master or he will curse you, and you will become guilty. | 10Don't lie about a servant to his master, or that servant will curse you and you will pay for it. |
11There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother. | 11Some people curse their fathers and won't bless their mothers. |
12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filth. | 12Some people view themselves as pure, but haven't been cleansed from their own filth. |
13There is a generation--how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks. | 13Some people —what an arrogant look they have!— raise their eyebrows haughtily. |
14There is a generation whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, devouring the oppressed from the land and the needy from among mankind. | 14Some people have swords for teeth and knives for fangs to devour the afflicted from the earth and the needy from among mankind. |
15The leech has two daughters: "Give, Give!" Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough!": | 15The leech has two daughters: "Give" and "Give". Three things will never be satisfied; four will never say "Enough"— |
16Sheol; a childless womb; earth, which is never satisfied with water; and fire, which never says, "Enough!" | 16The afterlife, the barren womb, earth that still demands water, and fire—they never say, "Enough". |
17As for the eye that ridicules a father and despises obedience to a mother, may ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures eat it. | 17The eye that mocks a father and looks with a disobedient attitude at a mother— the valley ravens will pluck it out; and vultures will eat it. |
18Three things are too wondrous for me; four I can't understand: | 18Three things cause wonder for me; four are beyond my understanding: |
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 young woman. | 19The way an eagle flies in the sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman. |
20This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, "I've done nothing wrong." | 20This is what an immoral woman is like: she eats, wipes her mouth, then says "I've done nothing wrong." |
21The earth trembles under three things; it cannot bear up under four: | 21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot remain steady: |
22a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is stuffed with food, | 22Under a slave when he becomes a king, a fool when he is overfed, |
23an unloved woman when she marries, and a servant girl when she ousts her queen. | 23an unloved woman when she finds a husband, and a servant girl who inherits from her mistress. |
24Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: | 24Four things on earth are small, but they are very, very wise: |
25ants are not a strong people, yet they store up their food in the summer; | 25Ants aren't a strong species, yet they prepare their food in the summer. |
26hyraxes are not a mighty people, yet they make their homes in the cliffs; | 26The rock badgers aren't a strong species either, yet they build their dens in the rocks. |
27locusts have no king, yet all of them march in ranks; | 27Locusts have no king, but they all swarm in ranks. |
28a lizard can be caught in your hands, yet it lives in kings' palaces. | 28Spiders can be caught by the hand, yet they're found in kings' palaces. |
29Three things are stately in their stride; four are stately in their walk: | 29Three things are stately in procession, four which are stately in their gait: |
30a lion, which is mightiest among beasts and doesn't retreat before anything; | 30The lion, mighty among the beasts, retreats before nothing. |
31a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king at the head of his army. | 31The strutting rooster, as well as the goat, and a king with his army. |
32If you have been foolish by exalting yourself or if you've been scheming, put your hand over your mouth. | 32If you've foolishly exalted yourself or if you've plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth. |
33For the churning of milk produces butter, and twisting a nose draws blood, and stirring up anger produces strife. | 33Just as whipping milk produces butter, and twisting the nose causes bleeding, so also stirring up anger produces contention. |
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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