The Words of Agur

30 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.1

The man declares, I am weary, O God;

I am weary, O God, and worn out.2

2  Surely I am too mstupid to be a man.

I have not the understanding of a man.

3  I have not learned wisdom,

nor have I knowledge of nthe Holy One.

4  Who has oascended to heaven and come down?

Who has pgathered the wind in his fists?

Who has qwrapped up the waters in a garment?

Who has established all rthe ends of the earth?

sWhat is his name, and what is his son’s name?

Surely you know!

5  tEvery word of God proves true;

he is ua shield to those who take refuge in him.

6  vDo not add to his words,

lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

7  Two things I ask of you;

deny them not to me wbefore I die:

8  Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that is xneedful for me,

9  lest I be yfull and zdeny you

and say, a“Who is the Lord?”

or lest I be poor and steal

band profane the name of my God.

10  cDo not slander a servant to his master,

dlest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

11  There are those3 who ecurse their fathers

and do not bless their mothers.

12  There are those who are fclean in their own eyes

but are not washed of their filth.

13  There are those—how glofty are their eyes,

how high their eyelids lift!

14  There are those whose teeth are hswords,

whose ifangs are knives,

to jdevour the poor from off the earth,

the needy from among mankind.

15  The leech has two daughters:

Give and Give.4

kThree things are never satisfied;

kfour never say, “Enough”:

16  lSheol, mthe barren womb,

the land never satisfied with water,

and the fire that never says, “Enough.”