The sayings of Agur

1These are the sayings

and the message

of Agur son of Jakeh.

Someone cries out to God,

“I am completely worn out!

How can I last?30.1 last: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 1.

2I am far too stupid

to be considered human.

3I never was wise,

and I don't understand

what God is like.”

4Has anyone gone up to heaven

and come back down?

Has anyone grabbed hold

of the wind?

Has anyone wrapped up the sea

or marked out boundaries

for the earth?

If you know of any

who have done such things,

then tell me their names

and their children's names.

5Everything God says is true—

and it's a shield for all

who come to him for safety.

6Don't change what God has said!

He will correct you and show

that you are a liar.

7There are two things, Lord,

I want you to do for me

before I die:

8make me absolutely honest

and don't let me be too poor

or too rich.

Give me just what I need.

9If I have too much to eat,

I might forget about you;

if I don't have enough,

I might steal

and disgrace your name.

10Don't tell a slave owner

something bad about one

of the slaves.

That slave will curse you,

and you will be in trouble.

11Some people curse their father

and even their mother;

12others think they are perfect,

but they are stained by sin.

13Some people are stuck-up

and act like snobs;

14others are so greedy

that they gobble up

the poor and homeless.

15Greed30.15 Greed: Or “A leech”. has twins,

each named “Give me!”

There are three or four things

that are never satisfied:

16the world of the dead

and a childless wife,

the thirsty earth

and a flaming fire.

17Don't make fun of your father

or disobey your mother—

crows will peck out your eyes,

and vultures will eat

the rest of you.

18There are three or four things

I cannot understand:

19how eagles fly so high

or snakes crawl on rocks,

how ships sail the ocean

or people fall in love.

20An unfaithful wife says,

“Sleeping with another man

is as natural as eating.”

21There are three or four things

that make the earth tremble

and are unbearable:

22a slave who becomes king,

a fool who eats too much,

23a hateful woman

who finds a husband,

and a slave who takes the place

of the woman who owns her.

24On this earth four things

are small but very wise:

25ants, who seem to be feeble,

but store up food

all summer long;

26badgers, who seem to be weak,

but live among the rocks;

27locusts, who have no king,

but march like an army;

28lizards,30.28 lizards: Or “spiders”. which can be caught

in your hand,

but sneak into palaces.

29Three or four creatures

really strut around:

30those fearless lions

who rule the jungle,

31those proud cocks,

those mountain goats,

and those rulers

who have no enemies.30.31 enemies: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 31.

32If you are foolishly boasting

or planning something evil,

then stop it now!

33If you churn milk

you get butter;

if you hit your nose,

you get blood—

and if you stay angry,

you get in trouble.