The Words of Agur 1 Brenton A son that keeps the commandment shall escape destruction; for such an one has fully received it. Let no falsehood be spoken by the king from the tongue; yea, let no falsehood proceed from his tongue. The king's tongue is a sword, and not one of flesh; and whosoever shall be given up to it shall be destroyed: BSB BSB: These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.
2 Brenton for if his wrath should be provoked, he destroys men with cords, and devours men's bones, and burns them up as a flame, so that they are not even fit to be eaten by the young eagles. My son, reverence my words, and receive them, and repent. These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease. For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men. BSB BSB: Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
3 Brenton God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy. BSB BSB: I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Brenton Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children? BSB BSB: Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son—surely you know!
5 Brenton For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him. BSB BSB: Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 Brenton Add not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be made a liar. BSB BSB: Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 Brenton Two things I ask of thee; take not favour from me before I die. BSB BSB: Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die:
8 Brenton Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth or poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient: BSB BSB: Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
9 Brenton lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear vainly by the name of God. BSB BSB: Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.
10 Brenton Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be utterly destroyed. BSB BSB: Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
11 Brenton A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother. BSB BSB: There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 Brenton A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way. BSB BSB: There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
13 Brenton A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids. BSB BSB: There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
14 Brenton A wicked generation have swords for teeth and jaw-teeth as knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them from among men. BSB BSB: there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
15 Brenton The horse-leech had three dearly-beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough. BSB BSB: The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 Brenton The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is enough. BSB BSB: Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’
17 Brenton The eye that laughs to scorn a father, and dishonours the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it. BSB BSB: As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
18 Brenton Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not: BSB BSB: There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
19 Brenton the track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth. BSB BSB: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20 Brenton Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss. BSB BSB: This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 Brenton By three things the earth is troubled, and the fourth it cannot bear: BSB BSB: Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22 Brenton if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food; BSB BSB: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23 Brenton or if a maid-servant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man. BSB BSB: an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
24 Brenton And there are four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise: BSB BSB: Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 Brenton the ants which are weak, and yet prepare their food in summer; BSB BSB: The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 Brenton the rabbits also are a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks. BSB BSB: the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 Brenton The locusts have no king, and yet march orderly at one command. BSB BSB: the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
28 Brenton And the eft, which supports itself by its hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings. BSB BSB: and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
29 Brenton And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely. BSB BSB: There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30 Brenton A lion's whelp, stronger than all other beasts, which turns not away, nor fears any beast; BSB BSB: a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31 Brenton and a cock walking in boldly among the hens, and a goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation. BSB BSB: a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
32 Brenton If thou abandon thyself to mirth, and stretch forth thine hand in a quarrel, thou shalt be disgraced. BSB BSB: If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 Brenton Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if thou wring one's nostrils there shall come out blood: so if thou extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes. BSB BSB: For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.