1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,

1 דִּבְרֵ֤י׀ אָג֥וּר בִּן־יָקֶ֗ה הַמַּ֫שָּׂ֥א נְאֻ֣ם הַ֭גֶּבֶר לְאִֽיתִיאֵ֑ל לְאִ֖יתִיאֵ֣ל וְאֻכָֽל׃

2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

2 כִּ֤י בַ֣עַר אָנֹכִ֣י מֵאִ֑ישׁ וְלֹֽא־בִינַ֖ת אָדָ֣ם לִֽי׃

3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

3 וְלֹֽא־לָמַ֥דְתִּי חָכְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת קְדֹשִׁ֣ים אֵדָֽע׃

4 Who hath ascended 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?

4 מִ֤י עָלָֽה־שָׁמַ֨יִם׀ וַיֵּרַ֡ד מִ֤י אָֽסַף־ר֨וּחַ׀ בְּחָפְנָ֡יו מִ֤י צָֽרַר־מַ֨יִם׀ בַּשִּׂמְלָ֗ה מִ֭י הֵקִ֣ים כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ מַה־שְּׁמֹ֥ו וּמַֽה־שֶּׁם־בְּ֝נֹ֗ו כִּ֣י תֵדָֽע׃

5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield to them that put their trust in him.

5 כָּל־אִמְרַ֣ת אֱלֹ֣והַּ צְרוּפָ֑ה מָגֵ֥ן ה֝֗וּא לַֽחֹסִ֥ים בֹּֽו׃

6 Add thou not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

6 אַל־תֹּ֥וסְףְּ עַל־דְּבָרָ֑יו פֶּן־יֹוכִ֖יחַ בְּךָ֣ וְנִכְזָֽבְתָּ׃

7 Two things have I required of thee; deny them not to me before I die:

7 תַּיִם שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵאִתָּ֑ךְ אַל־תִּמְנַ֥ע מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי בְּטֶ֣רֶם אָמֽוּת׃

8 Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

8 שָׁ֤וְא׀ וּֽדְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב הַרְחֵ֬ק מִמֶּ֗נִּי רֵ֣אשׁ וָ֭עֹשֶׁר אַל־תִּֽתֶּן־לִ֑י הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי לֶ֣חֶם חֻקִּֽי׃

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.

9 פֶּ֥ן אֶשְׂבַּ֨ע׀ וְכִחַשְׁתִּי֮ וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מִ֥י יְה֫וָ֥ה וּפֶֽן־אִוָּרֵ֥שׁ וְגָנַ֑בְתִּי וְ֝תָפַ֗שְׂתִּי שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהָֽי׃

10 Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

10 אַל־תַּלְשֵׁ֣ן עֶ֭בֶד אֶל־ אֲדֹנֹו אֲדֹנָ֑יו פֶּֽן־יְקַלֶּלְךָ֥ וְאָשָֽׁמְתָּ׃

11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

11 דֹּ֭ור אָבִ֣יו יְקַלֵּ֑ל וְאֶת־אִ֝מֹּ֗ו לֹ֣א יְבָרֵֽךְ׃

12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.

12 דֹּ֭ור טָהֹ֣ור בְּעֵינָ֑יו וּ֝מִצֹּאָתֹ֗ו לֹ֣א רֻחָֽץ׃

13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

13 דֹּ֭ור מָה־רָמ֣וּ עֵינָ֑יו וְ֝עַפְעַפָּ֗יו יִנָּשֵֽׂאוּ׃

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.

14 דֹּ֤ור׀ חֲרָבֹ֣ות שִׁנָּיו֮ וּֽמַאֲכָלֹ֪ות מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥יו³ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל עֲנִיִּ֣ים מֵאֶ֑רֶץ וְ֝אֶבְיֹונִ֗ים מֵאָדָֽם׃

15 The horse-leech hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yes, four things say not, It is enough:

15 לַֽעֲלוּקָ֨ה¹׀ שְׁתֵּ֥י בָנֹות֮ הַ֤ב׀ הַ֥ב שָׁלֹ֣ושׁ הֵ֭נָּה לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע לֹא־אָ֥מְרוּ הֹֽון׃

16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

16 שְׁאֹול֮ וְעֹ֪צֶ֫ר רָ֥חַם אֶ֭רֶץ לֹא־שָׂ֣בְעָה מַּ֑יִם וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ לֹא־אָ֥מְרָה הֹֽון׃

17 The eye that mocketh at its father, and despiseth to obey its mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

17 עַ֤יִן׀ תִּֽלְעַ֣ג לְאָב֮ וְתָב֪וּז לִֽיקֲּהַ֫ת־אֵ֥ם יִקְּר֥וּהָ עֹרְבֵי־נַ֑חַל וְֽיֹאכְל֥וּהָ בְנֵי־נָֽשֶׁר׃

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yes, four which I know not:

18 שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה הֵ֭מָּה נִפְלְא֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נִּי³ וְאַרְבָּע וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְדַעְתִּֽים׃

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.

19 דֶּ֤רֶךְ הַנֶּ֨שֶׁר׀ בַּשָּׁמַיִם֮ דֶּ֥רֶךְ נָחָ֗שׁ עֲלֵ֫י צ֥וּר דֶּֽרֶךְ־אֳנִיָּ֥ה בְלֶב־יָ֑ם וְדֶ֖רֶךְ גֶּ֣בֶר בְּעַלְמָֽה׃

20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

20 כֵּ֤ן׀ דֶּ֥רֶךְ אִשָּׁ֗ה מְנָ֫אָ֥פֶת אָ֭כְלָה וּמָ֣חֲתָה פִ֑יהָ וְ֝אָמְרָ֗ה לֹֽא־פָעַ֥לְתִּי אָֽוֶן׃

21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

21 תַּ֣חַת לֹושׁ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֑רֶץ וְתַ֥חַת אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע לֹא־תוּכַ֥ל שְׂאֵֽת׃

22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with food.

22 תַּֽחַת־עֶ֭בֶד כִּ֣י יִמְלֹ֑וךְ וְ֝נָבָ֗ל כִּ֣י יִֽשְׂבַּֽע־לָֽחֶם׃

23 For an odious woman when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

23 תַּ֣חַת נוּאָה כִּ֣י תִבָּעֵ֑ל וְ֝שִׁפְחָ֗ה כִּֽי־תִירַ֥שׁ גְּבִרְתָּֽהּ׃

24 There are four things which are little upon the earth, but they are very wise:

24 אַרְבָּ֣עָה הֵ֭ם קְטַנֵּי־אָ֑רֶץ וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה חֲכָמִ֥ים מְחֻכָּמִֽים׃

25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;

25 הַ֭נְּמָלִים עַ֣ם לֹא־עָ֑ז וַיָּכִ֖ינוּ בַקַּ֣יִץ לַחְמָֽם׃

26 The conies are but a feeble people, yet they make their houses in the rocks;

26 פַנִּים עַ֣ם לֹא־עָצ֑וּם וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ בַסֶּ֣לַע בֵּיתָֽם׃

27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

27 מֶ֭לֶךְ אֵ֣ין לָאַרְבֶּ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֖א חֹצֵ֣ץ כֻּלֹּֽו׃

28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king's palaces.

28 מָמִית בְּיָדַ֣יִם תְּתַפֵּ֑שׂ וְ֝הִ֗יא בְּהֵ֣יכְלֵי מֶֽלֶךְ׃

29 There are three things which go well, yes, four are comely in going:

29 שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה הֵ֭מָּה מֵיטִ֣יבֵי צָ֑עַד וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה מֵיטִ֥בֵי לָֽכֶת׃

30 A lion, which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

30 לַ֭יִשׁ גִּבֹּ֣ור בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה וְלֹא־יָ֝שׁ֗וּב מִפְּנֵי־כֹֽל׃

31 A greyhound; a he-goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

31 זַרְזִ֣יר מָתְנַ֣יִם אֹו־תָ֑יִשׁ וּ֝מֶ֗לֶךְ אַלְק֥וּם עִמֹּֽו׃

32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.

32 אִם־נָבַ֥לְתָּ בְהִתְנַשֵּׂ֑א וְאִם־זַ֝מֹּ֗ותָ יָ֣ד לְפֶֽה׃

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.

33 כִּ֤י מִ֪יץ חָלָ֡ב יֹ֘וצִ֤יא חֶמְאָ֗ה וּֽמִיץ־אַ֭ף יֹ֣וצִיא דָ֑ם וּמִ֥יץ אַ֝פַּ֗יִם יֹ֣וצִיא רִֽיב׃