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v1
The words of Agur, son of Yakeh, the oracle. Thus says the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel, and Ucal: ^[Or “I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out”]
v2
Certainly I am more stupid than a man, and the understanding of humankind is not for me.
v3
And I have not learned wisdom, nor will I know knowledge of the Holy One. ^[Or “holy ones”]
v4
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of his hand? Who has wrapped water in a ^[Hebrew “the”] garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what is the name of his child? For surely you know.
v5
Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield for him who takes refuge in him.
v6
Do not add to his words lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
v7
Two things I ask from you; do not deny me before I die:
v8
Keep falsehood and a lying word ^[Literally “word of a lie”] far from me; do not give me poverty or wealth; provide me with food only for my need.
v9
Or else I will be satisfied and will deny him and say “Who is Yahweh?” Or ^[Or “Lest”] I will be poor and will steal and profane the name of my God.
v10
Do not slander a servant to his master, or else he will curse you and you will be guilty.
v11
There is a generation that will curse its father, and its mother it will not bless.
v12
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, but from its filthiness it will not be cleansed.
v13
There is a generation—how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids they will lift.
v14
There is a generation whose teeth are swords, and its jawbones, knives, in order to devour the poor from the earth ^[Or “land”] and the needy from humankind.
v15
For the leech, there are two daughters; “Give, give!” they cry. As for three of these, they are not satisfied; as for four, they do not say enough.
v16
Sheol ^[A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld] and barrenness of womb, the land is not satisfied with water, and fire does not say “enough!“
v17
The eye that mocks a father and scorns the obedience of a mother— the ravens of the valley will peck it out, and the offspring of vultures will eat it.
v18
Three of these are too wonderful for me, and four, I do not understand them:
v19
the way of the eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship in the heart of the sea, and the way of a man with a young woman.
v20
This is the way of a woman committing adultery: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says “I have not done wrong.”
v21
Under three things the earth ^[Or “land”] trembles, and under four, it is not able to bear up:
v22
under a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is satisfied with food;
v23
under an unloved woman when she gets married, and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
v24
There are four small things on the earth, and they are exceedingly wise: ^[Literally “wise ones from wise ones”]
v25
The ants are a people who are not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
v26
the badgers are a people who are not mighty, yet they set their house on the rock;
v27
there is no king for the locust, yet it marches in rank;
v28
a lizard you can seize with hands, yet it is in palaces of kings.
v29
There are three things that are magnificent of stride, and four that are magnificent when moving:
v30
a mighty lion among the beasts, ^[Hebrew “beasts”] but he will not turn back from any face; ^[Literally “faces of all”]
v31
a strutting rooster or he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.
v32
If you have been foolish by exalting yourself, and if you have devised evil, put your hand to your mouth.
v33
For pressing milk produces curd, and pressing the nose produces blood, so pressing anger ^[Literally “nostrils”] produces strife.