International Standard Version

English Standard Version

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

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

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

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

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

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 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!

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

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

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

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

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

7Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me 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 falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful 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 you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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". Three things will never be satisfied; four will never say "Enough"—

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

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

16Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “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 mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25Ants aren't a strong species, 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 aren't a strong species either, yet they build their dens in the rocks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.