New King James Version

English Standard Version

1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

1The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.

2Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man.

2Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.

3I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.

3I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

4Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?

4Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends 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 put their trust in Him.

5Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

6Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

7Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die):

7Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:

8Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me;

8Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,

9Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.

9lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

10Do not malign a servant to his master, Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

10Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

11There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother.

11There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

12There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness.

12There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth.

13There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up.

13There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!

14There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.

14There are those whose teeth are swords, whose fangs are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mankind.

15The leech has two daughters— Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”:

15The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”:

16The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water— And the fire never says, “Enough!”

16Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

17The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.

17The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

18There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand:

18Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand:

19The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin.

19the way of an eagle 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 virgin.

20This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wickedness.”

20This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I have done no wrong.”

21For three things the earth is perturbed, Yes, for four it cannot bear up:

21Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up:

22For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food,

22a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is filled with food;

23A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

23an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.

24There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:

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

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

25the ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;

26The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags;

26the rock badgers are a people not mighty, yet they make their homes in the cliffs;

27The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks;

27the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank;

28The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces.

28the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk:

29Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride:

30A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any;

30the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;

31A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him.

31the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.

32If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.

32If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.

33For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

33For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.