King James Bible

New Living Translation

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

1The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.

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

2I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.

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

3I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.

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?

4Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name—and his son’s name? Tell me if you know!

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

5Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.

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

6Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

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

7O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.

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

8First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

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.

9For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

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

10Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.

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

11Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother.

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

12They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.

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

13They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances.

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.

14They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.

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

15The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More, more!” There are three things that are never satisfied— no, four that 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.

16the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.

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.

17The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.

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

18There are three things that amaze me— no, four things that I don’t understand:

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.

19how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.

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

20An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?”

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

21There are three things that make the earth tremble— no, four it cannot endure:

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

22a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers,

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

23a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.

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

24There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:

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

25Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer.

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

26Hyraxes —they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks.

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

27Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation.

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

28Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.

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

29There are three things that walk with stately stride— no, four that strut about:

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

30the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything,

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

31the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.

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

32If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame.

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.

33As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.