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The Words of Agur

1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. ^{1 30:1 Or Jakeh, the man of Massa}

The man declares, I am weary, O God;
    I am weary, O God, and worn out. ^{2 30:1 Revocalization; Hebrew The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal}
2  Surely I am too stupid to be a man.
    I have not the understanding of a man.
3  I have not learned wisdom,
    nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
4  Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
    Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
    Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son's name?
    Surely you know!

5  Every word of God proves true;
    he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6  Do not add to his words,
    lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

7  Two things I ask of you;
    deny them not to me before I die:
8  Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
    give me neither poverty nor riches;
    feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9  lest I be full and deny you
    and say, “Who is the LORD?”
or lest I be poor and steal
    and profane the name of my God.

10  Do not slander a servant to his master,
    lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

11  There are those ^{3 30:11 Hebrew There is a generation; also verses 12, 13, 14} who curse their fathers
    and do not bless their mothers.
12  There are those who are clean in their own eyes
    but are not washed of their filth.
13  There are those—how lofty are their eyes,
    how high their eyelids lift!
14  There are those whose teeth are swords,
    whose fangs are knives,
to devour the poor from off the earth,
    the needy from among mankind.

15  The leech has two daughters:
    Give and Give. ^{4 30:15 Or Give, give, they cry}
Three things are never satisfied;
    four never say, “Enough”:
16  Sheol, the barren womb,
    the land never satisfied with water,
    and the fire that never says, “Enough.”

17  The eye that mocks a father
    and scorns to obey a mother
will be picked out by the ravens of the valley
    and eaten by the vultures.

18  Three things are too wonderful for me;
    four I do not understand:
19  the way of an eagle in the sky,
    the way of a serpent on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
    and the way of a man with a virgin.

20  This is the way of an adulteress:
    she eats and wipes her mouth
    and says, “I have done no wrong.”

21  Under three things the earth trembles;
    under four it cannot bear up:
22  a slave when he becomes king,
    and a fool when he is filled with food;
23  an unloved woman when she gets a husband,
    and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.

24  Four things on earth are small,
    but they are exceedingly wise:
25  the ants are a people not strong,
    yet they provide their food in the summer;
26  the rock badgers are a people not mighty,
    yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
27  the locusts have no king,
    yet all of them march in rank;
28  the lizard you can take in your hands,
    yet it is in kings' palaces.

29  Three things are stately in their tread;
    four are stately in their stride:
30  the lion, which is mightiest among beasts
    and does not turn back before any;
31  the strutting rooster, ^{5 30:31 Or the magpie, or the greyhound; Hebrew girt-of-loins} the he-goat,
    and a king whose army is with him. ^{6 30:31 Or against whom there is no rising up}

32  If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,
    or if you have been devising evil,
    put your hand on your mouth.
33  For pressing milk produces curds,
    pressing the nose produces blood,
    and pressing anger produces strife.

The Words of King Lemuel

1 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

2  What are you doing, my son? ^{7 31:2 Hebrew What, my son?} What are you doing, son of my womb?
    What are you doing, son of my vows?
3  Do not give your strength to women,
    your ways to those who destroy kings.
4  It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
    it is not for kings to drink wine,
    or for rulers to take strong drink,
5  lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
    and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6  Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
    and wine to those in bitter distress; ^{8 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul}
7  let them drink and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.
8  Open your mouth for the mute,
    for the rights of all who are destitute. ^{9 31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away}
9  Open your mouth, judge righteously,
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.

The Woman Who Fears the LORD

10  ^{10 31:10 Verses 1031 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet} An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
11  The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
12  She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13  She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
14  She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
15  She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
16  She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17  She dresses herself ^{11 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins} with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
18  She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
19  She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
20  She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21  She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet. ^{12 31:21 Or in double thickness}
22  She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23  Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
24  She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25  Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
26  She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27  She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28  Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29  “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
30  Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31  Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.