1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.
2 I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.
3 I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One.
4 Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his nameâand his sonâs name? Tell me if you know!
5 Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.
6 Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.
7 O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.
8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.
9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, âWho is the LORD?â And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult Godâs holy name.
10 Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11 Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother.
12 They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed.
13 They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances.
14 They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
15 The leech has two suckers that cry out, âMore, more!â There are three things that are never satisfiedâ no, four that never say, âEnough!â:
16 the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.
17 The eye that mocks a father and despises a motherâs instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures.
18 There are three things that amaze meâ no, four things that I donât understand:
19 how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman.
20 An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, âWhatâs wrong with that?â
21 There are three things that make the earth trembleâ no, four it cannot endure:
22 a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers,
23 a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress.
24 There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
25 Antsâthey arenât strong, but they store up food all summer.
26 Hyraxesâthey arenât powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks.
27 Locustsâthey have no king, but they march in formation.
28 Lizardsâthey are easy to catch, but they are found even in kingsâ palaces.
29 There are three things that walk with stately strideâ no, four that strut about:
30 the lion, king of animals, who wonât turn aside for anything,
31 the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.
32 If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame.
33 As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.