International Standard Version

King James Bible

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:

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

2Surely I am beyond the senselessness of any man; I do not perceive things the way human beings do.

2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

3I never acquired wisdom, but I know what the Holy One knows.

3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

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!

4Who 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?

5Everything God says is pure; he is a shield for those who take refuge in him.

5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

6Don't add to his words, or he will rebuke you, and you will be shown to be a liar.

6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

7God, I have asked you for two things— don't refuse me before I die—

7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

8Keep deception and lies far away from me, and give me neither poverty nor wealth. Feed me with food that I need for today,

8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

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.

9Lest 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.

10Don't lie about a servant to his master, or that servant will curse you and you will pay for it.

10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

11Some people curse their fathers and won't bless their mothers.

11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

12Some people view themselves as pure, but haven't been cleansed from their own filth.

12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

13Some people —what an arrogant look they have!— raise their eyebrows haughtily.

13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

14Some people have swords for teeth and knives for fangs to devour the afflicted from the earth and the needy from among mankind.

14There 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.

15The leech has two daughters: "Give" and "Give". Three things will never be satisfied; four will never say "Enough"—

15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

16The afterlife, the barren womb, earth that still demands water, and fire—they never say, "Enough".

16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

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.

17The 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.

18Three things cause wonder for me; four are beyond my understanding:

18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

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.

19The 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.

20This is what an immoral woman is like: she eats, wipes her mouth, then says "I've done nothing wrong."

20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

21Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot remain steady:

21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

22Under a slave when he becomes a king, a fool when he is overfed,

22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

23an unloved woman when she finds a husband, and a servant girl who inherits from her mistress.

23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

24Four things on earth are small, but they are very, very wise:

24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

25Ants aren't a strong species, yet they prepare their food in the summer.

25The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

26The rock badgers aren't a strong species either, yet they build their dens in the rocks.

26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

27Locusts have no king, but they all swarm in ranks.

27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

28Spiders can be caught by the hand, yet they're found in kings' palaces.

28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

29Three things are stately in procession, four which are stately in their gait:

29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

30The lion, mighty among the beasts, retreats before nothing.

30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

31The strutting rooster, as well as the goat, and a king with his army.

31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

32If you've foolishly exalted yourself or if you've plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.

32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

33Just as whipping milk produces butter, and twisting the nose causes bleeding, so also stirring up anger produces contention.

33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.