Chapter 30

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spake⁷ unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

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

I neither learned¹ wisdom, nor have⁴ the knowledge of the holy.

Who hath ascended¹ up into heaven, or descended?⁴ who hath gathered¹ the wind in his fists? who hath bound¹ the waters in a garment? who hath established⁵² all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?⁴

Every word of God [is] pure:⁷ he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust⁶ in him.

Add⁵⁵ thou not unto his words, lest he reprove⁵⁵ thee, and thou be found a liar.⁸

Two [things] have I required¹ of thee; deny⁴ me [them] not before I die:⁴

Remove far⁵⁴ from me vanity and lies: ³⁵⁷⁷ give⁴ me neither poverty nor riches; feed⁵⁴ me with food convenient for me:

Lest I be full,⁴ and deny¹⁴ [thee], and say,¹ Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor,¹¹ and steal,¹ and take¹ the name of my God [in vain].

Accuse⁵⁵ not a servant unto his master, lest he curse¹⁷ thee, and thou be found guilty.¹

[There is] a generation [that] curseth¹⁷ their father, and doth not bless¹⁷ their mother.

[There is] a generation [that are] pure in their own eyes, and [yet] is not washed²⁷ from their filthiness.

[There is] a generation, O how lofty¹ are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.¹¹

[There is] a generation, whose teeth [are as] swords, and their jaw teeth [as] knives, to devour² the poor from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.

The horseleach hath two daughters, [crying], Give,³ give.³ There are three [things that] are never satisfied,⁴ [yea], four [things] say¹ not, [It is] enough:

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled¹ with water; and the fire [that] saith¹ not, [It is] enough.

The eye [that] mocketh⁴ at [his] father, and despiseth⁴ to obey [his] mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out,⁴ and the young eagles shall eat⁴ it.

There be three [things which] are too wonderful⁸ for me, yea, four which I know¹ 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.

Such [is] the way of an adulterous¹⁸ woman; she eateth,¹ and wipeth¹ her mouth, and saith,¹ I have done¹ no wickedness.

For three [things] the earth is disquieted,¹ and for four [which] it cannot ^{3201 4} bear:²

For a servant when he reigneth;⁴ and a fool when he is filled⁴ with meat;

For an odious⁷ [woman] when she is married;¹¹ and an handmaid that is heir⁴ to her mistress.

There be four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] exceeding³⁰ wise:

The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare⁵⁵ their meat in the summer;

The conies [are but] a feeble ⁶⁰⁹⁹ folk, yet make⁴ they their houses in the rocks;

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth⁴ all of them by bands;⁶

The spider taketh hold¹⁷ with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

There be three [things] which go well,⁵⁶ yea, four are comely⁵⁶ in going:²

A lion [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away⁴ for any;

A greyhound; ²²²³ an he goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising up.

If thou hast done foolishly¹ in lifting up⁹⁹ thyself, or if thou hast thought evil,¹ [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth.

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth⁵⁵ butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth⁵⁵ blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth⁵⁵ strife.