דִּבְרֵ֤י אָג֥וּר בִּן יָקֶ֗ה הַמַּ֫שָּׂ֥א נְאֻ֣ם הַ֭גֶּבֶר לְאִֽיתִיאֵ֑ל לְאִ֖יתִיאֵ֣ל וְאֻכָֽל
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the prophecy: the man spake to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
כִּ֤י בַ֣עַר אָנֹכִ֣י מֵאִ֑ישׁ וְלֹֽא בִינַ֖ת אָדָ֣ם לִֽי
Surely I more brutish than man, and have not the understanding of a man.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
וְלֹֽא לָמַ֥דְתִּי חָכְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת קְדֹשִׁ֣ים אֵדָֽע
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
מִ֤י עָלָֽה שָׁמַ֨יִם וַיֵּרַ֡ד מִ֤י אָֽסַף ר֨וּחַ בְּחָפְנָ֡יו מִ֤י צָֽרַר מַ֨יִם בַּשִּׂמְלָ֗ה מִ֭י הֵקִ֣ים כָּל אַפְסֵי אָ֑רֶץ מַה שְּׁמ֥וֹ וּמַֽה שֶּׁם בְּ֝נ֗וֹ כִּ֣י תֵדָֽע
Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? who has gathered the wind in his fists? who has bound the waters in a garment? who has established all the ends of the earth? what his name, and what his son's name, if you canst tell?
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
כָּל אִמְרַ֣ת אֱל֣וֹהַּ צְרוּפָ֑ה מָגֵ֥ן ה֝֗וּא לַֽחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ
Every word of God pure: he a shield to them that put their trust in him.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
אַל תּ֥וֹסְףְּ עַל דְּבָרָ֑יו פֶּן יוֹכִ֖יחַ בְּךָ֣ וְנִכְזָֽבְתָּ
Add you not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
שְׁ֭תַּיִם שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵאִתָּ֑ךְ אַל תִּמְנַ֥ע מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי בְּטֶ֣רֶם אָמֽוּת
Two have I required of you; deny me not before I die:
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
שָׁ֤וְא וּֽדְבַר כָּזָ֡ב הַרְחֵ֬ק מִמֶּ֗נִּי רֵ֣אשׁ וָ֭עֹשֶׁר אַל תִּֽתֶּן לִ֑י הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי לֶ֣חֶם חֻקִּֽי
Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
פֶּ֥ן אֶשְׂבַּ֨ע וְכִחַשְׁתִּי֮ וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מִ֥י יְה֫וָ֥ה וּפֶֽן אִוָּרֵ֥שׁ וְגָנַ֑בְתִּי וְ֝תָפַ֗שְׂתִּי שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהָֽי
Lest I be full, and deny , and say, Who YHWH? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God .
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
אַל תַּלְשֵׁ֣ן עֶ֭בֶד אֶל אדנו אֲדֹנָ֑יו פֶּֽן יְקַלֶּלְךָ֥ וְאָשָֽׁמְתָּ
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
דּ֭וֹר אָבִ֣יו יְקַלֵּ֑ל וְאֶת אִ֝מּ֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְבָרֵֽךְ
a generation curseth their father, and does not bless their mother.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
דּ֭וֹר טָה֣וֹר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וּ֝מִצֹּאָת֗וֹ לֹ֣א רֻחָֽץ
a generation pure in their own eyes, and is not washed from their filthiness.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
דּ֭וֹר מָה רָמ֣וּ עֵינָ֑יו וְ֝עַפְעַפָּ֗יו יִנָּשֵֽׂאוּ
a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
דּ֤וֹר חֲרָב֣וֹת שִׁנָּיו֮ וּֽמַאֲכָל֪וֹת מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥יו לֶאֱכֹ֣ל עֲנִיִּ֣ים מֵאֶ֑רֶץ וְ֝אֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים מֵאָדָֽם
a generation, whose teeth swords, and their jaw teeth knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from men.
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
לַֽעֲלוּקָ֨ה שְׁתֵּ֥י בָנוֹת֮ הַ֤ב הַ֥ב שָׁל֣וֹשׁ הֵ֭נָּה לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע לֹא אָ֥מְרוּ הֽוֹן
The horseleach has two daughters, , Give, give. There are three are never satisfied, , four say not, enough:
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
שְׁאוֹל֮ וְעֹ֪צֶ֫ר רָ֥חַם אֶ֭רֶץ לֹא שָׂ֣בְעָה מַּ֑יִם וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ לֹא אָ֥מְרָה הֽוֹן
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth is not filled with water; and the fire says not, enough.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
עַ֤יִן תִּֽלְעַ֣ג לְאָב֮ וְתָב֪וּז לִֽיקֲּהַ֫ת אֵ֥ם יִקְּר֥וּהָ עֹרְבֵי נַ֑חַל וְֽיֹאכְל֥וּהָ בְנֵי נָֽשֶׁר
The eye mocketh at father, and despiseth to obey mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה הֵ֭מָּה נִפְלְא֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נִּי וארבע וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְדַעְתִּֽים
There be three are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
דֶּ֤רֶךְ הַנֶּ֨שֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם֮ דֶּ֥רֶךְ נָחָ֗שׁ עֲלֵ֫י צ֥וּר דֶּֽרֶךְ אֳנִיָּ֥ה בְלֶב יָ֑ם וְדֶ֖רֶךְ גֶּ֣בֶר בְּעַלְמָֽה
The 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.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
כֵּ֤ן דֶּ֥רֶךְ אִשָּׁ֗ה מְנָ֫אָ֥פֶת אָ֭כְלָה וּמָ֣חֲתָה פִ֑יהָ וְ֝אָמְרָ֗ה לֹֽא פָעַ֥לְתִּי אָֽוֶן
Such the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
תַּ֣חַת שָׁ֭לוֹשׁ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֑רֶץ וְתַ֥חַת אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע לֹא תוּכַ֥ל שְׂאֵֽת
For three the earth is disquieted, and for four it cannot bear:
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
תַּֽחַת עֶ֭בֶד כִּ֣י יִמְל֑וֹךְ וְ֝נָבָ֗ל כִּ֣י יִֽשְׂבַּֽע לָֽחֶם
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
תַּ֣חַת שְׂ֭נוּאָה כִּ֣י תִבָּעֵ֑ל וְ֝שִׁפְחָ֗ה כִּֽי תִירַ֥שׁ גְּבִרְתָּֽהּ
For an odious when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
אַרְבָּ֣עָה הֵ֭ם קְטַנֵּי אָ֑רֶץ וְ֝הֵ֗מָּה חֲכָמִ֥ים מְחֻכָּמִֽים
There be four little upon the earth, but they exceeding wise:
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
הַ֭נְּמָלִים עַ֣ם לֹא עָ֑ז וַיָּכִ֖ינוּ בַקַּ֣יִץ לַחְמָֽם
The ants a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
שְׁ֭פַנִּים עַ֣ם לֹא עָצ֑וּם וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ בַסֶּ֣לַע בֵּיתָֽם
The conies a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
מֶ֭לֶךְ אֵ֣ין לָאַרְבֶּ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֖א חֹצֵ֣ץ כֻּלּֽוֹ
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
שְׂ֭מָמִית בְּיָדַ֣יִם תְּתַפֵּ֑שׂ וְ֝הִ֗יא בְּהֵ֣יכְלֵי מֶֽלֶךְ
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה הֵ֭מָּה מֵיטִ֣יבֵי צָ֑עַד וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה מֵיטִ֥בֵי לָֽכֶת
There be three which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
לַ֭יִשׁ גִּבּ֣וֹר בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה וְלֹא יָ֝שׁ֗וּב מִפְּנֵי כֹֽל
A lion strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
זַרְזִ֣יר מָתְנַ֣יִם אוֹ תָ֑יִשׁ וּ֝מֶ֗לֶךְ אַלְק֥וּם עִמּֽוֹ
A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom no rising up.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
אִם נָבַ֥לְתָּ בְהִתְנַשֵּׂ֑א וְאִם זַ֝מּ֗וֹתָ יָ֣ד לְפֶֽה
If you have done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if you have thought evil, your hand upon your mouth.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
כִּ֤י מִ֪יץ חָלָ֡ב י֘וֹצִ֤יא חֶמְאָ֗ה וּֽמִיץ אַ֭ף י֣וֹצִיא דָ֑ם וּמִ֥יץ אַ֝פַּ֗יִם י֣וֹצִיא רִֽיב
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.