1 φευγει ασεβης μηδενος διωκοντος δικαιος δε ωσπερ λεων πεποιθεν | 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 δι' αμαρτιας ασεβων κρισεις εγειρονται ανηρ δε πανουργος κατασβεσει αυτας | 2 Why, I am the most stupid of men, and have not even human intelligence; |
3 ανδρειος εν ασεβειαις συκοφαντει πτωχους ωσπερ υετος λαβρος και ανωφελης | 3 Neither have I learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy One. |
4 ουτως οι εγκαταλειποντες τον νομον εγκωμιαζουσιν ασεβειαν οι δε αγαπωντες τον νομον περιβαλλουσιν εαυτοις τειχος | 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 ανδρες κακοι ου νοησουσιν κριμα οι δε ζητουντες τον κυριον συνησουσιν εν παντι | 5 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. |
6 κρεισσων πτωχος πορευομενος εν αληθεια πλουσιου ψευδους | 6 Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver. |
7 φυλασσει νομον υιος συνετος ος δε ποιμαινει ασωτιαν ατιμαζει πατερα | 7 Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die: |
8 ο πληθυνων τον πλουτον αυτου μετα τοκων και πλεονασμων τω ελεωντι πτωχους συναγει αυτον | 8 Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; (provide me only with the food I need;) |
9 ο εκκλινων το ους αυτου του μη εισακουσαι νομου και αυτος την προσευχην αυτου εβδελυκται | 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 ος πλανα ευθεις εν οδω κακη εις διαφθοραν αυτος εμπεσειται οι δε ανομοι διελευσονται αγαθα και ουκ εισελευσονται εις αυτα | 10 Slander not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you have to pay the penalty. |
11 σοφος παρ' εαυτω ανηρ πλουσιος πενης δε νοημων καταγνωσεται αυτου | 11 There is a group of people that curses its father, and blesses not its mother. |
12 δια βοηθειαν δικαιων πολλη γινεται δοξα εν δε τοποις ασεβων αλισκονται ανθρωποι | 12 There is a group that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not purged of its filth. |
13 ο επικαλυπτων ασεβειαν εαυτου ουκ ευοδωθησεται ο δε εξηγουμενος ελεγχους αγαπηθησεται | 13 There is a group--how haughty their eyes! how overbearing their glance! |
14 μακαριος ανηρ ος καταπτησσει παντα δι' ευλαβειαν ο δε σκληρος την καρδιαν εμπεσειται κακοις | 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 λεων πεινων και λυκος διψων ος τυραννει πτωχος ων εθνους πενιχρου | 15 The two daughters of the leech are, "Give, Give." Three things are never satisfied, four never say, "Enough!" |
16 βασιλευς ενδεης προσοδων μεγας συκοφαντης ο δε μισων αδικιαν μακρον χρονον ζησεται | 16 The nether world, and the barren womb; the earth, that is never saturated with water, and fire, that never says, "Enough!" |
17 ανδρα τον εν αιτια φονου ο εγγυωμενος φυγας εσται και ουκ εν ασφαλεια [17α] παιδευε υιον και αγαπησει σε και δωσει κοσμον τη ση ψυχη ου μη υπακουσης εθνει παρανομω | 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 ο πορευομενος δικαιως βεβοηθηται ο δε σκολιαις οδοις πορευομενος εμπλακησεται | 18 Three things are too wonderful for me, yes, four I cannot understand: |
19 ο εργαζομενος την εαυτου γην πλησθησεται αρτων ο δε διωκων σχολην πλησθησεται πενιας | 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 ανηρ αξιοπιστος πολλα ευλογηθησεται ο δε κακος ουκ ατιμωρητος εσται | 20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats, wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wrong." |
21 ος ουκ αισχυνεται προσωπα δικαιων ουκ αγαθος ο τοιουτος ψωμου αρτου αποδωσεται ανδρα | 21 Under three things the earth trembles, yes, under four it cannot bear up: |
22 σπευδει πλουτειν ανηρ βασκανος και ουκ οιδεν οτι ελεημων κρατησει αυτου | 22 Under a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is glutted with food; |
23 ο ελεγχων ανθρωπου οδους χαριτας εξει μαλλον του γλωσσοχαριτουντος | 23 Under an odious woman when she is wed, and a maidservant when she displaces her mistress. |
24 ος αποβαλλεται πατερα η μητερα και δοκει μη αμαρτανειν ουτος κοινωνος εστιν ανδρος ασεβους | 24 Four things are among the smallest on the earth, and yet are exceedingly wise: |
25 απληστος ανηρ κρινει εικη ος δε πεποιθεν επι κυριον εν επιμελεια εσται | 25 Ants--a species not strong, yet they store up their food in the summer; |
26 ος πεποιθεν θρασεια καρδια ο τοιουτος αφρων ος δε πορευεται σοφια σωθησεται | 26 Rock-badgers--a species not mighty, yet they make their home in the crags; |
27 ος διδωσιν πτωχοις ουκ ενδεηθησεται ος δε αποστρεφει τον οφθαλμον αυτου εν πολλη απορια εσται | 27 Locusts--they have no king, yet they migrate all in array; |
28 εν τοποις ασεβων στενουσι δικαιοι εν δε τη εκεινων απωλεια πληθυνθησονται δικαιοι | 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. |