30:1 The words of Agur Ben Yakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spake unto Itiel, even unto Itiel and Ucal,
30:2 Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man.
30:3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
30:4 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?
30:5 Every word of Elohim (אלהים) [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
30:7 Two [things] have I required of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
30:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
30:9 Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] YHWH (יהוה)? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the Name of Elohai [in vain].
30:10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
30:11 [There is] a generation [that] curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
30:12 [There is] a generation [that are] pure in their own eyes, and [yet] is not washed from their filthiness.
30:13 [There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
30:14 [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.
30:15 The horseleach hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yea], four [things] say not, [It is] enough:
30:16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] saith not, [It is] enough.
30:17 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.
30:18 There be three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
Derekh hanesher bashamayim derekh nakhash alei tzur derekh-oniyah velev-yam vederekh gever bealmah:
The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a valiant man with a maid.
30:20 Such [is] the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
30:21 For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:
30:22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
30:23 For an odious [woman] when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
30:24 There be four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] exceeding wise:
30:25 The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
30:26 The conies [are but] a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
30:27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
30:28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
30:29 There be three [things] which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30:30 A lion [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
30:31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising up.
30:32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thine hand upon thy mouth.
30:33 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.
Agur Ben Yakeh - The word Yakeh meaning blameless are very uncertain his identity. It is usually thought that Agur was a Massaite. The words his utterance (oracle, NIV) may also be translated "of Massa" (RSV). This would identify Agur as a descendant of Yishmael (Barasheet 25:14). He is a member of the North Arabian tribe of Massa 1 Kings 5:10 shows tht the Yisraelites had respect for the wisdom of benai of the East of which this passage might preserve an example. Agur meaning gathered - Agur call his speech a "neum" meaning oracle a communication from Hashem.