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.

24 Four things on earth are small,
   yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 the ants are a people without strength,
   yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 the badgers are a people without power,
   yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 the locusts have no king,
   yet all of them march in rank;
28 the lizard can be grasped in the hand,
   yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

29 Three things are stately in their stride;
   four are stately in their gait:
30 the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals
   and does not turn back before any;
31 the strutting rooster, the he-goat,
   and a king striding before his people.