The Wisdom of Agur

30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 aSurely I am more stupid than any man,

And do not have the understanding of a man.

3 I neither learned wisdom

Nor have bknowledge of the Holy One.

4 cWho has ascended into heaven, or descended?

dWho has gathered the wind in His fists?

Who has bound the waters in a garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,

If you know?

5 eEvery word of God is 1pure;

fHe is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

6 gDo not add to His words,

Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things I request of You

(Deprive me not before I die):

8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;

Give me neither poverty nor riches—

hFeed me with the food allotted to me;

9 iLest I be full and deny You,

And say, “Who is the Lord?”

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not malign a servant to his master,

Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that curses its jfather,

And does not bless its mother.

12 There is a generation kthat is pure in its own eyes,

Yet is not washed from its filthiness.

13 There is a generation—oh, how llofty are their eyes!

And their eyelids are 2lifted up.

14 mThere is a generation whose teeth are like swords,

And whose fangs are like knives,

nTo devour the poor from off the earth,

And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters—

Give and Give!

There are three things that are never satisfied,

Four never say, “Enough!”:

16 oThe 3grave,

The barren womb,

The earth that is not satisfied with water—

And the fire never says, “Enough!”