1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. 3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.30.3 have: Heb. know 4Who 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? 5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.30.5 pure: Heb. purified 6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:30.7 deny…: Heb. withhold not from me 8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:30.8 convenient…: Heb. of my allowance 9Lest 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.30.9 deny…: Heb. belie thee
10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.30.10 Accuse…: Heb. Hurt not with thy tongue 11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 14There 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.
15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:30.15 It is…: Heb. Wealth 16The grave; and the barren womb; 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 ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.30.17 the valley: or, the brook
18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 19The 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.30.19 midst: Heb. heart 20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. 21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: 22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; 23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:30.24 exceeding…: Heb. wise, made wise 25The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;30.27 by…: Heb. gathered together 28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: 30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.30.31 greyhound: or, horse: Heb. girt in the loins 32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. 33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
亞古珥的箴言
1以下是雅基的兒子亞古珥的箴言。
這人說：上帝啊，我很疲倦；
上帝啊，我很疲倦，精疲力盡。30·1 希伯來文或譯「這人對以鐵說，對以鐵和烏甲說：」
2我比眾人都愚蠢，
不具備人的悟性。
3我從未學到智慧，
也不認識至聖者。
4誰升上高天又降下來？
誰將風聚在掌中？
誰將眾水裹在衣服裡？
誰定了地的邊界？
祂叫什麼名字？
祂兒子叫什麼名字？
你知道嗎？
5上帝的話句句千真萬確，
祂作投靠祂之人的盾牌。
6你不可對祂的話有所添加，
免得祂責備你，
揭穿你的虛謊。
7上帝啊，我向你求兩件事，
求你在我未死以前賜給我。
8求你使虛偽和謊言遠離我，
求你讓我不貧窮也不富足，
賜給我需用的飲食，
9免得我因為飽足就不認你，
說：「耶和華是誰呢？」
又恐怕我因窮困而偷竊，
以致辱沒我上帝的名。
10別向主人譭謗他的僕人，
免得你受咒詛、擔當罪責。
11有一種30·11 「種」希伯來文是「世代」，11-14節也相同。人咒詛父親，
不為母親祝福。
12有一種人自以為純潔，
卻沒有洗掉自己的污穢。
13有一種人趾高氣揚，
目空一切。
14有一種人牙如劍，
齒如刀，
要吞吃世間的困苦人和貧窮人。
15水蛭有兩個女兒，
她們不停地叫：「給我！給我！」
三樣東西從不知足，
永不言「夠」的共有四樣：
16陰間、不孕的婦人、
乾旱的土地和火焰。
17嘲笑父親、藐視母親教誨的，
眼睛必被谷中的烏鴉啄出，
被禿鷹吃掉。
18我測不透的妙事有三樣，
我不明白的事共有四樣：
19鷹在空中飛翔之道，
蛇在石上爬行之道，
船在海中航行之道，
男女相愛之道。
20淫婦的道是這樣：
她吃完就擦擦嘴，
說，「我沒有做壞事。」
21使大地震動的事有三樣，
大地無法承受的事共有四樣：
22奴僕做王，
愚人吃飽，
23醜惡女子出嫁，
婢女取代主母。
24地上有四種動物，
身體雖小卻極其聰明：
25螞蟻力量雖小，
卻在夏天儲備糧食；
26石獾雖不強壯，
卻在岩石中築巢穴；
27蝗蟲雖無君王，
卻整齊地列隊前進；
28壁虎雖易捕捉，
卻居住在王宮大內。
29步履威武的有三樣，
走路雄壯的共有四樣：
30威震百獸、從不畏縮的獅子，
31昂首闊步的雄雞，
公山羊和率領軍隊的君王。
32你若行事愚昧、
妄自尊大或圖謀不軌，
就當用手掩口。
33激起憤怒會引起爭端，
正如攪牛奶會攪出奶油，
擰鼻子會擰出血。
