1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. 3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. 4 Who hath ascended up 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? 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: 8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 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 .
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty. 11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 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.
15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying , Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea , four things say not, It is enough: 16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. 17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 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. 20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. 21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: 22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; 23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: 25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; 28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: 30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up. 32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. 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.
1 verba congregantis filii vomentis
Visio quam locutus est vir cum quo est Deus
et qui Deo secum morante confortatus ait
2 stultissimus sum virorum et sapientia hominum non est mecum
3 non didici sapientiam
et non novi sanctorum scientiam
4 quis ascendit in caelum atque descendit
quis continuit spiritum manibus suis
quis conligavit aquas quasi in vestimento
quis suscitavit omnes terminos terrae
quod nomen eius et quod nomen filii
eius si nosti
5 omnis sermo Dei ignitus clypeus est sperantibus in se
6 ne addas quicquam verbis illius et arguaris inveniarisque mendax
7 duo rogavi te ne deneges mihi antequam moriar
8 vanitatem et verba mendacia longe fac a me
mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi
tribue tantum victui meo necessaria
9 ne forte saturatus inliciar ad negandum
et dicam quis est Dominus
et egestate conpulsus furer
et peierem nomen Dei mei
10 ne accuses servum ad dominum suum
ne forte maledicat tibi et corruas
11 generatio quae patri suo maledicit
et quae non benedicit matri suae
12 generatio quae sibi munda videtur
et tamen non est lota a sordibus suis
13 generatio cuius excelsi sunt oculi et palpebrae eius in alta subrectae
14 generatio quae pro dentibus gladios habet
et commandit molaribus suis
ut comedat inopes de terra et pauperes ex hominibus
15 sanguisugae duae sunt filiae dicentes adfer adfer
tria sunt insaturabilia
et quartum quod numquam dicit sufficit
16 infernus et os vulvae et terra quae non satiatur aqua
ignis vero numquam dicit sufficit
17 oculum qui subsannat patrem
et qui despicit partum matris suae
effodiant corvi de torrentibus
et comedant illum filii aquilae
18 tria sunt difficilia mihi et quartum penitus ignoro
19 viam aquilae in caelo viam colubri super petram
viam navis in medio mari
et viam viri in adulescentula
20 talis est via mulieris adulterae
quae comedit et tergens os suum dicit
non sum operata malum
21 per tria movetur terra et quartum non potest sustinere
22 per servum cum regnaverit per stultum cum saturatus fuerit cibo
23 per odiosam mulierem cum in matrimonio fuerit adsumpta
et per ancillam cum heres fuerit dominae suae
24 quattuor sunt minima terrae et ipsa sunt sapientiora sapientibus
25 formicae populus infirmus
quae praeparant in messe cibum sibi
26 lepusculus plebs invalida
quae conlocat in petra cubile suum
27 regem lucusta non habet et egreditur universa per turmas
28 stilio manibus nititur et moratur in aedibus regis
29 tria sunt quae bene gradiuntur et quartum quod incedit feliciter
30 leo fortissimus bestiarum ad nullius pavebit occursum
31 gallus succinctus lumbos et aries nec est rex qui resistat ei
32 et qui stultus apparuit postquam elatus est
in sublime
si enim intellexisset ori inposuisset manum
33 qui autem fortiter premit ubera ad eliciendum lac exprimit butyrum
et qui vehementer emungitur elicit
sanguinem
et qui provocat iras producit discordias