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1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
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2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
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3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
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4 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? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
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5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
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6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
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7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
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8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
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9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
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10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
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11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
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12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
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13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
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14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
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15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
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16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
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17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
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18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
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19 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.
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20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
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21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
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22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
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23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
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24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
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25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
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26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
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27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
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28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
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29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
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30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
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31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
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32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
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33 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.
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- 1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
- 2 Surely I am more stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man.
- 3 Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
- 4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son's name? Surely you know!
- 5 Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
- 6 Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.
- 7 Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die:
- 8 Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,
- 9 That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.
- 10 Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty.
- 11 There is a kind of {man who curses his father And does not bless his mother.
- 12 There is a kind who is pure in his own eyes, Yet is not washed from his filthiness.
- 13 There is a kind—oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance.
- 14 There is a kind of man whose teeth are like swords And his jaw teeth like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men.
- 15 The leech has two daughters, “Give,” “Give.” There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, “Enough”:
- 16 Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.”
- 17 The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.
- 18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand:
- 19 The way of an eagle in the sky, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the middle of the sea, And the way of a man with a maid.
- 20 This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wrong.”
- 21 Under three things the earth quakes, And under four, it cannot 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 a husband, And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.
- 24 Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:
- 25 The ants are not a strong people, But they prepare their food in the summer;
- 26 The shephanim are not mighty people, Yet they make their houses in the rocks;
- 27 The locusts have no king, Yet all of them go out in ranks;
- 28 The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings' palaces.
- 29 There are three things which are stately in their march, Even four which are stately when they walk:
- 30 The lion which is mighty among beasts And does not retreat before any,
- 31 The strutting rooster, the male goat also, And a king when his army is with him.
- 32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.
- 33 For the churning of milk produces butter, And pressing the nose brings forth blood; So the churning of anger produces strife.
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