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.

1The words of Agur the sonne of Iakeh, euen the prophecy: The man spake vnto Ithiel, euen vnto Ithiel and Ucal.

2Surely I am more brutish then any man, and haue not the vnderstanding of a man.

3I neither learned wisedome, nor haue the knowledge of the holy.

4Who hath ascended vp into heauen, 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 sonnes name, if thou canst tell?

5Euery word of God is pure: he is a shield vnto them that put their trust in him.

6Adde thou not vnto his words, lest he reproue thee, and thou be found a lyar.

7Two things haue I required of thee, deny me them not before I die.

8Remoue farre from mee vanity, and lyes; giue me neither pouerty, nor riches, feede me with food conuenient for me.

9Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poore, and steale, and take the name of my God in vaine.

10Accuse not a seruant vnto his master; lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not blesse their mother.

12There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthinesse.

13There is a generation, O howe lofty are their eyes! and their eye-lids are lifted vp.

14There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their iaw-teeth as kniues, to deuoure the poore from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

15The horse-leach hath two daughters, crying, Giue, giue. There are three things that are neuer satisfied, yea foure things say not, It is enough:

16The graue; and the barren wombe; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

17The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother; the rauens of the valley shall picke it out, and the young Eagles shall eate it.

18There be three things which are too wonderfull for me; yea foure, which I know not:

19The way of an Eagle in the ayre; the way of a serpent vpon a rocke; the the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

20Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I haue done no wickednesse.

21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for foure which it cannot beare:

22For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when hee is filled with meate:

23For an odious woman when shee is married, and an handmayd that is heire to her mistresse.

24There be foure things which are little vpon the earth; but they are exceeding wise:

25The Ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meate in the summer.

26The conies are but a feeble folke, yet make they their houses in the rocks

27The locustes haue no king, yet goe they forth all of them by bands.

28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings palaces.

29There be three things which goe well, yea foure are comely in going:

30A lyon which is strongest among beastes, and turneth not away for any:

31A gray-hound; an hee-goate also; and a king, against whom there is no rising vp.

32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting vp thy selfe, or if thou hast thought euill, lay thine hand vpon thy mouth.

33Surely the churning of milke bringeth forth butter; and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.

I == Prov 31:1

II == Ps 73:22

 

 

 

IV == Job 38:4 ; Ps 104:3 ; Isa 40:12 ; John 3:13

 

 

V == Ps 12:6 ; 18:30 ; 19:8 ; 84:11 ; 115:9-11 ; 119:140

VI == Deut 4:2 ; 12:32 ; Rev 22:18-19

 

VIII == Matt 6:11

IX == Deut 8:12 ; 14:17 ; 31:20 ; 32:15 ; Neh 9:25-26 ; Job 31:24-25 , 28 ; Hos 13:6

 

 

 

XII == Luke 18:11

XIII == Ps 131:1 ; Prov 6:17

XIV == Job 29:17 ; Ps 14:4 ; 52:2 ; 57:4 ; Prov 12:18 ; amos 8:4

 

 

 

XVI == Prov 27:20 ; Hab 2:5

 

XVII == Gen 9:22 ; Lev 20:9 ; Prov 20:20 ; 23:22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXII == Provb 19:10 ; Eccl 10:7

 

 

 

 

 

XXV == Prov 6:6

 

XXVI == Ps 104:18

1 The words of Agur, son of Jakeh the Massaite: The pronouncement of mortal man: "I am not God; I am not God, that I should prevail.

2 Why, I am the most stupid of men, and have not even human intelligence;

3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down again - who has cupped the wind in his hands? Who has bound up the waters in a cloak - who has marked out all the ends of the earth? What is his name, what is his son's name, if you know it?"

5 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6 Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver.

7 Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die:

8 Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; (provide me only with the food I need;)

9 Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God.

10 Slander not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you have to pay the penalty.

11 There is a group of people that curses its father, and blesses not its mother.

12 There is a group that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not purged of its filth.

13 There is a group - how haughty their eyes! how overbearing their glance!

14 There is a group whose incisors are swords, whose teeth are knives, Devouring the needy from the earth, and the poor from among men.

15 The two daughters of the leech are, "Give, Give." Three things are never satisfied, four never say, "Enough!"

16 The nether world, and the barren womb; the earth, that is never saturated with water, and fire, that never says, "Enough!"

17 The eye that mocks a father, or scorns an aged mother, Will be plucked out by the ravens in the valley; the young eagles will devour it.

18 Three things are too wonderful for me, yes, four I cannot understand:

19 The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, The way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.

20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong."

21 Under three things the earth trembles, yes, under four it cannot bear up:

22 Under a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is glutted with food;

23 Under an odious woman when she is wed, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress.

24 Four things are among the smallest on the earth, and yet are exceedingly wise:

25 Ants - a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer;

26 Rock-badgers - a species not mighty, yet they make their home in the crags;

27 Locusts - they have no king, yet they migrate all in array;

28 Lizards - you can catch them with your hands, yet they find their way into king's palaces.

29 Three things are stately in their stride, yes, four are stately in their carriage:

30 The lion, mightiest of beasts, who retreats before nothing;

31 The strutting cock, and the he-goat, and the king at the head of his people.

32 If you have foolishly been proud or presumptuous - put your hand on your mouth;

33 For the stirring of milk brings forth curds, and the stirring of anger brings forth blood.

v 1. This Proverb was written or assembled by and to men of identities unknown.

 

 

 

v 4-6. Agur desires to know more about God the creator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 8,9. We should be satisfied with the things Agur is satisfied with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 12-14. That generation sounds like now, some making the claim of 1 Jn. 1:10.

 

 

 

 

v 15-17. The child of v 17 is as greedy as the four insatiable desires listed.

 

 

 

 

v 18-20. Four amazing things, and amazing adulterous who admits to no wrong.

 

 

 

 

v 21-23. These four things are unbearable because they are out of their place.

 

 

 

v 24-28. We can learn of the wisdom and God’s care of these four small things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 29-31. God has placed these four impressive things in a prominent place.

 

 

v 32,33. Pride and anger both cause problems.