Old/New Testament

30 The words of Agur, son of Yakeh, the oracle.
    Thus says the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel, and Ucal:^[a]
2 Certainly I am more stupid than a man,
    and the understanding of humankind is not for me.
³ And I have not learned wisdom,
    nor will I know knowledge of the Holy One.^[b]
4 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^[c] 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.
⁵ Every word of God is flawless;
    he is a shield for him who takes refuge in him.
⁶ Do not add to his words
    lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
⁷ Two things I ask from you;
    do not deny me before I die:
⁸ Keep falsehood and a lying word^[d] far from me;
    do not give me poverty or wealth;
    provide me with food only for my need.
⁹ Or else I will be satisfied and will deny him
    and say “Who is Yahweh?”
Or^[e] I will be poor and will steal
    and profane the name of my God.
¹⁰ Do not slander a servant to his master,
    or else he will curse you and you will be guilty.
¹¹ There is a generation that will curse its father,
    and its mother it will not bless.
¹² There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
    but from its filthiness it will not be cleansed.
¹³ There is a generation—how lofty are their eyes!
    And their eyelids they will lift.
¹⁴ There is a generation whose teeth are swords,
    and its jawbones, knives,
in order to devour the poor from the earth^[f]
    and the needy from humankind.
¹⁵ 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.
¹⁶ Sheol^[g] and barrenness of womb,
    the land is not satisfied with water,
    and fire does not say “enough!”
¹⁷ 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.
¹⁸ Three of these are too wonderful for me,
    and four, I do not understand them:
¹⁹ 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.
²⁰ This is the way of a woman committing adultery:
    she eats and wipes her mouth,
    and says “I have not done wrong.”
²¹ Under three things the earth^[h] trembles,
    and under four, it is not able to bear up:
²² under a slave when he becomes king,
    and a fool when he is satisfied with food;
²³ under an unloved woman when she gets married,
    and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
²⁴ There are four small things on the earth,
    and they are exceedingly wise:^[i]
25 The ants are a people who are not strong,
    yet they prepare their food in the summer;
²⁶ the badgers are a people who are not mighty,
    yet they set their house on the rock;
²⁷ there is no king for the locust,
    yet it marches in rank;
²⁸ a lizard you can seize with hands,
    yet it is in palaces of kings.
²⁹ There are three things that are magnificent of stride,
    and four that are magnificent when moving:
³⁰ a mighty lion among the beasts,^[j]
    but he will not turn back from any face;^[k]
31 a strutting rooster or he-goat,
    and a king whose army is with him.
³² If you have been foolish by exalting yourself,
    and if you have devised evil, put your hand to your mouth.
³³ For pressing milk produces curd,
    and pressing the nose produces blood,
    so pressing anger^[l] produces strife.

31 The words of Lemuel, the king—an oracle
    that his mother taught him:
² What, my son? And what, my son in my womb?
    And what, son of my vows?
³ Do not give your strength to the women,
    and your ways to destroy kings.
⁴ It is not for the kings, O Lemuel;
    drinking wine is not for the kings,
    nor is strong drink for rulers.
⁵ Or else he will drink and forget what has been decreed,
    and he will pervert the rights^[m] of all the afflicted.^[n]
6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
    and wine to those in bitter distress.^[o]
7 He will drink and forget his poverty,
    and his misery he will not remember any more.
⁸ Open your mouth for the mute,
    for the rights^[p] of all the needy.^[q]
9 Open your mouth, judge righteousness,
    and defend the poor and needy.

¹⁰ A woman^[s] of excellence,^[t] who will find?
    For her worth is far more than precious jewels.
¹¹ The heart of her husband^[u] trusts in her,
    and gain he will not lack.
¹² She does him good, but not harm
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
    and she works with the diligence of her hands.^[v]
14 She is like the ships of a merchant;
    from far off she brings her food;^[w]
15 And she arises while it is still night,
    and gives food to her household,
    and tasks to her servant girls.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it,
    from the fruit of her hand^[x] she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She girds her waist in strength,
    and makes her arms strong.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good;
    her lamp does not go out in the night.
¹⁹ Her hands she puts onto the distaff,^[y]
    and her palms hold a spindle.
²⁰ Her palm she opens to the poor,
    and her hand she reaches out to the needy.
²¹ She does not fear for her house when it snows,
    for her entire household^[z] is clothed in crimson.
²² She makes for herself coverings;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband^[aa] is known at the gates,
    in his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ Linen garments she makes and sells,
    and she supplies sashes for the merchants.
²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the future.^[ab]
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and instruction of kindness is upon her tongue.
²⁷ She looks after the ways of her household,
    and the bread of idleness she will not eat.
²⁸ Her children rise and consider her happy,
    her husband^[ac] also, and he praises her;
²⁹ “Many daughters have done excellence,^[ad]
    but you surpass^[ae] all of them.”
³⁰ Charm^[af] is deceit and beauty^[ag] is vain;^[ah]
    but a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised.
³¹ Give to her from the fruit of her hand,
    and may they praise her works in the city gates.