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Sayings of Agur

30The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle.

Thus says the man: I am weary, O God,
   I am weary, O God. How can I prevail?^*
2 Surely I am too stupid to be human;
   I do not have human understanding.
³ I have not learned wisdom,
   nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.^*
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
   Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
   Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is the person’s name?
   And what is the name of the person’s child?
   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,
   or else he will rebuke you, and you will be found a liar.

⁷ Two things I ask of you;
   do not deny them 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 I need,
⁹ or I shall be full, and deny you,
   and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
or I shall be poor, and steal,
   and profane the name of my God.

¹⁰ Do not slander a servant to a master,
   or the servant will curse you, and you will be held guilty.

¹¹ There are those who curse their fathers
   and do not bless their mothers.
¹² There are those who are pure in their own eyes
   yet are not cleansed of their filthiness.
¹³ There are those—how lofty are their eyes,
   how high their eyelids lift!—
¹⁴ there are those whose teeth are swords,
   whose teeth are knives,
to devour the poor from off the earth,
   the needy from among mortals.

¹⁵ The leech^* has two daughters;
   ‘Give, give,’ they cry.
Three things are never satisfied;
   four never say, ‘Enough’:
¹⁶ Sheol, the barren womb,
   the earth ever thirsty for water,
   and the fire that never says, ‘Enough.’^*