1 GLT The words of Agur son of Jakeh, the oracle: The declaration of the strong man to Ithiel, to 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 GLT Surely, I{ am} more stupid than a man, and the understanding of mankind{ is} not mine. BSB BSB: Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
3 GLT And I have not learned wisdom, nor do I know the knowledge of holy ones. BSB BSB: I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4 GLT Who has ascended{ to} heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped waters in the cloak? Who has raised up all the ends of the earth? What{ is} his name and what{ is} the name of his son? Surely you know! 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 GLT Every saying of God is refined; he{ is} a shield for those who take refuge in him. BSB BSB: Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 GLT Do not add upon his words, lest he rebuke you and you be shown a liar. BSB BSB: Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 GLT Two things I ask from with you, do not withhold from me before I die: BSB BSB: Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die:
8 GLT Put worthlessness and the word of a lie far away from me. Do not give to me poverty or riches, cause me to receive the bread of my portion. 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 GLT Lest I be satiated and I deny and say,“Who{ is} Yahweh?” And lest I become dispossessed and steal and I seize the name of my 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 GLT Do not slander a slave to his master, lest he curse you and you be found guilty. BSB BSB: Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
11 GLT { There is} a generation, it curses its father and does not bless its mother. BSB BSB: There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 GLT { There is} a generation clean in its eyes, but it is not washed from its excrement. BSB BSB: There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
13 GLT { There is} a generation, how its eyes are raised up, and its eyelids are lifted up! BSB BSB: There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
14 GLT { There is} a generation, its teeth{ are} swords and its fangs{ are} knives for devouring afflicted ones from the earth and needy ones from mankind. 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 GLT Two daughters{ are} for the leech,“Give! Give!”{ There are} three, they are not satisfied; four, they do not 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 GLT Sheol, and the closure of the womb, a land not satisfied with water, and a fire does not say,“Enough!” BSB BSB: Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’
17 GLT An eye mocks a father and shows contempt for the obedience{ to} a mother, the ravens of the valley will peck it out and the sons of the vulture will eat 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 GLT Three things, they{ are} too wonderful for me, and four, I do not understand them: BSB BSB: There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
19 GLT the way of the eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a young man with 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 GLT Thus{ is} the way of a woman who commits adultery: she eats and wipes her mouth and says,“I have not done iniquity.” BSB BSB: This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 GLT Under three things the earth quakes, and under four it is not able to hold up: BSB BSB: Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22 GLT under a slave when he becomes king, and a hoarder when he is satisfied with bread, BSB BSB: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23 GLT under a hated woman when she is married, and a female servant when she takes the inheritance{ of} her mistress. BSB BSB: an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
24 GLT Four things, they{ are} small things of the earth but they{ are} wise things shown to be wise: BSB BSB: Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 GLT The ants{ are} a people not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer. BSB BSB: The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 GLT Rock badgers{ are} a people not mighty, but they set their house in the cliff. BSB BSB: the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 GLT There is no king for the locust, but each of it go out divided{ into groups}. BSB BSB: the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
28 GLT You can catch a lizard with hands, yet it{ is} in the palaces of the king. BSB BSB: and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
29 GLT Three things, they are doing well of step, and four are doing well of walking: BSB BSB: There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30 GLT a lion{ is} mighty among the animals and it will not turn away from the face of anything, BSB BSB: a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31 GLT one girded of loins, or a male goat, and a king against whom one does not rise up. BSB BSB: a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
32 GLT If you have been foolish by lifting up yourself, or if you have schemed, a hand{ be} to mouth! BSB BSB: If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 GLT For the squeezing of milk brings out butter and the squeezing of the nose brings out blood, and the squeezing of nostrils brings out strife. 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.