The words of Agur the son of Jakeh,eventhe prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
Surely Iammore brutish thananyman, and have not the understanding of a man.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
Who 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? whatishis name, and whatishis son’s name, if thou canst tell?
Every word of Godispure: heisa shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Twothingshave I required of thee; deny methemnot before I die:
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Lest I be full, and denythee, and say, WhoistheLORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my Godin vain.
Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
There isa generationthatcurseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
There isa generationthat arepure in their own eyes, andyetis not washed from their filthiness.
There isa generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
There isa generation, whose teethare asswords, and their jaw teethasknives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy fromamongmen.
The horseleach hath two daughters,crying, Give, give. There are threethings thatare never satisfied,yea, fourthingssay not,It isenough:
The grave; and the barren womb; the earththatis not filled with water; and the firethatsaith not,It isenough.
The eyethatmocketh athisfather, and despiseth to obeyhismother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
There be threethings whichare too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
The 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.
Suchisthe way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
For threethingsthe earth is disquieted, and for fourwhichit cannot bear:
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
For an odiouswomanwhen she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
There be fourthings which arelittle upon the earth, but theyareexceeding wise:
The antsarea people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
The coniesare buta feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
There be threethingswhich go well, yea, four are comely in going:
A lionwhich isstrongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whomthere isno rising up.
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil,laythine hand upon thy mouth.
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.