Chapter 30

1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh of Massa.e

The man says to Ithi-el,

to Ithi-el and Ucal:f

2 Surely I am too stupid to be a man.

I have not the understanding of a man.

3 I have not learned wisdom,

nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down?

Who has gathered the wind in his fists?

Who has wrapped up 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?

Surely you know!

5 Every word of God proves true;

he is a shield to those who take 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 of thee;

deny them not to me before I die:

8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that is needful for me,

9 lest I be full, and deny thee,

and say, “Who is the Lord?”

or lest I be poor, and steal,

and profane the name of my God.

10 Do not slander a servant to his master,

lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

11 There are those who curse their fathers

and do not bless their mothers.

12 There are those who are pure in their own eyes

but are not cleansed of their filth.

13 There are those—how lofty are their eyes,

how high their eyelids lift!

14 There are those whose teeth are swords,

whose teeth are knives,

to devour the poor from off the earth,

the needy from among men.

15 The leechg has two daughters;

“Give, give,” they cry.

Three things are never satisfied;

four never say, “Enough”:

16 Sheol, the barren womb,

the earth ever thirsty for water,

and the fire which never says, “Enough.”h

17 The eye that mocks a father

and scorns to obey a mother

will be picked out by the ravens of the valley

and eaten by the vultures.

18 Three things are too wonderful for me;

four 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 on the high seas,

and the way of a man with a maiden.

20 This is the way of an adulteress:

she eats, and wipes her mouth,

and says, “I have done no wrong.”

21 Under three things the earth trembles;

under four it cannot bear up:

22 a slave when he becomes king,

and a fool when he is filled with food;

23 an unloved woman when she gets a husband,

and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.

24 Four things on earth are small,

but they are exceedingly wise:

25 the ants are a people not strong,

yet they provide their food in the summer;

26 the badgers are a people not mighty,

yet they make their homes in the rocks;

27 the locusts have no king,

yet all of them march in rank;

28 the lizard you can take in your hands,

yet it is in kings’ palaces.

29 Three things are stately in their tread;

four are stately in their stride:

30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts

and does not turn back before any;

31 the strutting cock,i the he-goat,

and a king striding beforej his people.

32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,

or if you have been devising evil,

put your hand on your mouth.

33 For pressing milk produces curds,

pressing the nose produces blood,

and pressing anger produces strife.