The Words of Agur 1 UST { These are} the sayings of Agur son of Jakeh, which Yahweh told him to say;{ these are what} Agur declared to both Ithiel and Ucal: 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 UST I am certainly less intelligent than other people. Indeed, I do not understand as much as everyone else understands! BSB BSB: Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
3 UST I have not learned how to become wise, nor do I know{ much} about{ Yahweh,} the Holy One. BSB BSB: I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4 UST { But I will say this:} Surely nobody has ever gone to heaven and returned to earth! Surely nobody has ever controlled the wind! Surely nobody has ever gathered the water for rain in the clouds! Surely nobody has ever formed the boundaries of the earth! You do not know the name of any such person, or the name of his son. Therefore, you{ also} do not know{ much}! 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 UST Everything that God says is true; he is{ like} a shield that protects people who trust him to protect them. BSB BSB: Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 UST Never claim that God has said something other than what he has{ actually} said. If you do that, then he will correct you and he will prove that you lied{ about what he said}. BSB BSB: Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 UST { God,} I ask you to do two things; please do them for me before I die: BSB BSB: Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die:
8 UST { Please} prevent me from being dishonest or speaking what is not true.{ Please} do not let me become too poor or too rich,{ but} just provide the proper amount of food for me. 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 UST Because if I become rich, I might say that I do not know you and that I do not need you; and if I become poor, I might dishonor you by stealing things. 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 UST Never say bad things about servants to the people whom they serve. If you do, then they will curse you, and people will hold you responsible{ for what you said}. BSB BSB: Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
11 UST Some people disrespect their parents. BSB BSB: There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 UST Some people think that they are sinless, but they have committed disgusting sins,{ like} people who have covered themselves with excrement. BSB BSB: There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
13 UST Some people are very proud! They think that they are better than other people. BSB BSB: There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
14 UST Some people are very cruel toward others; they harshly oppress and destroy poor people as fierce animals attack and eat other animals. 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 UST { Greedy people are like} the offspring of leeches{ because they} always want other people to give them more. There are three, even four things that always want more: BSB BSB: The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 UST the place where dead people are, childless women, soil that never receives enough water, and fire that keeps consuming more. BSB BSB: Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’
17 UST People who ridicule their fathers, and refuse to obey their mothers deserve to{ die and} have wild animals eat their{ dead} bodies. 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 UST There are three, even four things, that are too amazing for me to comprehend: BSB BSB: There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
19 UST how a bird flies in the air, how a snake slithers over a rock, how a ship sails in the middle of the ocean, and how a young man loves a young woman. 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 UST Acting adulterously is{ as easy} for adulterous women as eating and wiping their mouths. Afterward, they claim that they have not sinned at all. BSB BSB: This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 UST There are three, even four, things that{ the people in} the world cannot tolerate: BSB BSB: Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22 UST what slaves do who become rulers, what worthless people do when they have plenty of food to eat, BSB BSB: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23 UST what women whom people hate do when they marry someone, and what servant girls do who replace the wives of their masters. BSB BSB: an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
24 UST There are four creatures in the world that are small but extremely wise: BSB BSB: Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 UST Although ants are not strong, they store up their food during the summer{ so that they have it to eat during the winter}. BSB BSB: The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 UST Although hyraxes are{ also} not strong, they are able to make their homes{ high up in the rocks} on cliffs. BSB BSB: the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 UST Although locusts do not have a king, they move in orderly groups like soldiers in an army. BSB BSB: the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
28 UST Although anyone can{ easily} catch lizards in his hands, they can freely enter into kings’ palaces. BSB BSB: and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
29 UST There are three, even four, things that look very impressive when they walk: BSB BSB: There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30 UST lions, which are the most powerful animals and never flee from anything, BSB BSB: a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31 UST strutting male birds, male goats, and kings whom people are afraid to rebel against. BSB BSB: a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
32 UST If you have acted foolishly by bragging about yourself, or if you were plotting{ to do what is evil}, then stop doing so immediately! BSB BSB: If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 UST { Stop doing so} because just as churning milk produces butter, and squeezing a nose produces blood, making people angry causes them to fight. 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.