The Sayings of Agur
1 These are the sayings
and the message
of Agur son of Jakeh.
Someone cries out to God,
“I am completely worn out!
How can I last?
2 I am far too stupid
to be considered human.
3 I never was wise,
and I don't understand
what God is like.”
4 Has anyone gone up to heaven
and come back down?
Has anyone grabbed hold
of the wind?
Has anyone wrapped up the sea
or marked out boundaries
for the earth?
If you know of any
who have done such things,
then tell me their names
and their children's names.
5 Everything God says is true—
and it's a shield for all
who come to him for safety.
6 Don't change what God has said!
He will correct you and show
that you are a liar.
7 There are two things, Lord,
I want you to do for me
before I die:
8 Make me absolutely honest
and don't let me be too poor
or too rich.
Give me just what I need.
9 If I have too much to eat,
I might forget about you;
if I don't have enough,
I might steal
and disgrace your name.
10 Don't tell a slave owner
something bad about one
of the slaves.
That slave will curse you,
and you will be in trouble.
11 Some people curse their father
and even their mother;
12 others think they are perfect,
but they are stained by sin.
13 Some people are stuck-up
and act like snobs;
14 others are so greedy
that they gobble up
the poor and homeless.
15 Greed has twins,
each named “Give me!”
There are three or four things
that are never satisfied:
16 The world of the dead
and a childless wife,
the thirsty earth
and a flaming fire.
17 Don't make fun of your father
or disobey your mother—
crows will peck out your eyes,
and buzzards will eat
the rest of you.
18 There are three or four things
I cannot understand:
19 How eagles fly so high
or snakes crawl on rocks,
how ships sail the ocean
or people fall in love.
20 An unfaithful wife says,
“Sleeping with another man
is as natural as eating.”
21 There are three or four things
that make the earth tremble
and are unbearable:
22 A slave who becomes king,
a fool who eats too much,
23 a hateful woman
who finds a husband,
and a slave who takes the place
of the woman who owns her.
24 On this earth four things
are small but very wise:
25 Ants, who seem to be feeble,
but store up food
all summer long;
26 badgers, who seem to be weak,
but live among the rocks;
27 locusts, who have no king,
but march like an army;
28 lizards, which can be caught
in your hand,
but sneak into palaces.
29 Three or four creatures
really strut around:
30 Those fearless lions
who rule the jungle,
31 those proud roosters,
those mountain goats,
and those rulers
who have no enemies.
32 If you are foolishly bragging
or planning something evil,
then stop it now!
33 If you churn milk
you get butter;
if you pound on your nose,
you get blood—
and if you stay angry,
you get in trouble.
Āgūra izteicieni
1 Āgūra, Jākes dēla, vārdi. Vēstījums.
Es gurstu, Dievs! Es gurstu, Dievs, un smoku!
2 Paties, nejēga es, lai sauktos cilvēks,
un nav man cilvēka saprāta!
3 Es neesmu mācījies gudrību, kā lai pazīstu Svēto!
4 Kurš ir uzkāpis debesīs un nokāpis atpakaļ?
Kurš ir savācis vēju savās saujās?
Kurš ir ūdeņus iesējis drānā?
Kurš ir nolicis zemei malas?
Kāds viņa vārds un viņa dēla vārds –
vai tu to zini?
5 Viss Dieva sacītais piepildās,
vairogs viņš tiem, kas tveras pie viņa!
6 Neko nepieliec viņa vārdiem,
ka viņš nenorāj tevi un neapsūdz melos!
7 Divas lietas tev izlūdzos –
neatrauj man tās, pirms mirstu:
8 blēņas un melus liec prom no manis,
ne trūkumu, ne bagātību nepiešķir man!
Dod man tik maizes, cik pienākas,
9 lai nepārēdos un nenoliedzu tevi,
sacīdams: kas ir Kungs? –
bet lai tomēr netieku nabags,
ka nesāku zagt,
ka neaptraipu sava Dieva vārdu!
10 Neaprunā kalpu šā kungam,
ka šis tevi nenolād un ļaudis tevi nepeļ!
11 Dažs nolād savu tēvu
un nesvētī savu māti,
12 dažs šķiet šķīsts paša acīs,
taču no saviem mēsliem nav mazgāts,
13 dažs nez cik augstu ceļ skatienu,
un viņa plaksti lepni plešas,
14 dažam zobi kā zobeni
un dzerokļi kā naži,
ko iznīdēt nabagos no zemes
un sūrdieņus no ļaužu vidus!
15 Dēlei divas meitas – Dod! – Dod!
Ir trīs, kas negūst sāta,
četri, kas nesaka: gana! –
16 Šeols, neauglīgs klēpis,
zeme, kas netiek sāta ūdens,
un uguns, kas nesaka: gana!
17 Aci, kas ērcina tēvu
un nievājas paklausīt mātei,
gravā izknābs kraukļi,
ērgļu cāļi to aprīs!
18 Treji izbrīna mani
un četrus es neizprotu –
19 ērgļa ceļu debesīs,
čūskas ceļu pār klinti,
kuģa ceļu jūras selgā
un vīra ceļu pie jaunavas!
20 Tā dara laulības pārkāpēja –
tā bauda, tā noslauka lūpas,
tā saka: es neesmu darījusi ļauna! –
21 Zem trim trīc zeme,
un četrus tā nepanes –
22 vergu, kas tiek par ķēniņu,
nejēgu, kam maizes gana,
23 atstumtu sievu, kas paliek pie vīra,
un kalponi, kas savas kundzes vietā!
24 Šie četri no zemes sīkuļiem,
taču tie gudrin gudri –
25 skudras, tauta necik stipra,
taču vasarā jaudā iztiku iekrāt,
26 klinšu truši, tauta ne branga,
taču sataisa sev klintīs namus,
27 siseņiem ķēniņa nav,
taču, pulkos stājušies, uzbrūk visi,
28 ķirzaku var ar roku notvert,
taču tā – ķēniņu pilīs!
29 Šie trīs sper drošu soli,
un četriem ir stalta gaita –
30 lauvam, kas stiprinieks starp zvēriem
un neatkāpjas ne priekš viena,
31 lepnajam gailim un āzim,
un ķēniņam, kas ved pulkus!
32 Vienalga, vai dumji tu sāktu lielīties
vai gudri, ar viltu – roku uz mutes!
33 Jo, kad pienu spiež, atliek siers,
kad spiež degunu, tek asinis,
kad uzspiež dusmām, tad izlec ķilda!
