The Words of Agur

30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the pronouncement.

The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

I am certainly more (A)stupid than any man,
And I do not have the understanding of a man;
Nor have I learned wisdom,
Nor do I have the (B)knowledge of the Holy One.
Who has (C)ascended into heaven and descended?
Who has gathered the (D)wind in His fists?
Who has (E)wrapped the waters in [a]His garment?
Who has (F)established all the ends of the earth?
What is His (G)name or His [b]Son’s name?
Surely you know!

Every (H)word of God is [c]pure;
He is a (I)shield to those who take refuge in Him.
(J)Do not add to His words
Or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.

Two things I have asked of You;
Do not refuse me before I die:
Keep deception and [d]lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the (K)food that is my portion,
So that I will not be (L)full and deny (M)You and say, “Who is the Lord?”
And that I will not become (N)impoverished and steal,
And (O)profane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a slave to his master,
Or he will (P)curse you and you will be found guilty.

11 There is a [e]kind of person who (Q)curses his father
And does not bless his mother.
12 There is a [f]kind who is (R)pure in his own eyes,
Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
13 There is a [g]kind—oh how (S)lofty are his eyes!
And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
14 There is a [h]kind of person whose (T)teeth are like swords
And his (U)jaw teeth like knives,
To (V)devour the poor from the earth
And the needy from among mankind.

15 The leech has two daughters:
“Give” and “Give.”
There are three things that will not be satisfied,
Four that will not say, “Enough”:
16 [i](W)Sheol, the (X)infertile womb,
Earth that is never satisfied with water,
And fire that never says, “Enough.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 30:4 Lit the
  2. Proverbs 30:4 Or son’s
  3. Proverbs 30:5 Lit refined
  4. Proverbs 30:8 Lit words of falsehood
  5. Proverbs 30:11 Or generation
  6. Proverbs 30:12 Or generation
  7. Proverbs 30:13 Or generation
  8. Proverbs 30:14 Or generation
  9. Proverbs 30:16 I.e., The netherworld

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