The Words of Agur
1 These are the solemn words of Agur son of Jakeh:
“God is not with me, God is not with me,
and I am helpless.
2 I am more like an animal than a human being;
I do not have the sense we humans should have.
3 I have never learned any wisdom,
and I know nothing at all about God.
4 Have any ever mastered heavenly knowledge?
Have any ever caught the wind in their hands?
Or wrapped up water in a piece of cloth?
Or fixed the boundaries of the earth?
Who are they, if you know? Who are their children?
5 “God keeps every promise he makes. He is like a shield for all who seek his protection. 6 If you claim that he said something that he never said, he will reprimand you and show that you are a liar.”
More Proverbs
7 I ask you, God, to let me have two things before I die: 8 keep me from lying, and let me be neither rich nor poor. So give me only as much food as I need. 9 If I have more, I might say that I do not need you. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God.
10 Never criticize servants to their master. You will be cursed and suffer for it.
11 There are people who curse their fathers and do not show their appreciation for their mothers.
12 There are people who think they are pure when they are as filthy as they can be.
13 There are people who think they are so good—oh, how good they think they are!
14 There are people who take cruel advantage of the poor and needy; that is the way they make their living.
15 A leech has two daughters, and both are named “Give me!”
There are four things that are never satisfied:
16 the world of the dead,
a woman without children,
dry ground that needs rain,
and a fire burning out of control.
17 If you make fun of your father or despise your mother in her old age, you ought to be eaten by vultures or have your eyes picked out by wild ravens.
18 There are four things that are too mysterious for me to understand:
19 an eagle flying in the sky,
a snake moving on a rock,
a ship finding its way over the sea,
and a man and a woman falling in love.
20 This is how an unfaithful wife acts: she commits adultery, takes a bath, and says, “But I haven't done anything wrong!”
21 There are four things that the earth itself cannot tolerate:
22 a slave who becomes a king,
a fool who has all he wants to eat,
23 a hateful woman who gets married,
and a servant woman who takes the place of her mistress.
24 There are four animals in the world that are small, but very, very clever:
25 Ants: they are weak, but they store up their food in the summer.
26 Rock badgers: they are not strong either, but they make their homes among the rocks.
27 Locusts: they have no king, but they move in formation.
28 Lizards: you can hold one in your hand, but you can find them in palaces.
29 There are four things that are impressive to watch as they walk:
30 lions, strongest of all animals and afraid of none;
31 goats, strutting roosters,
and kings in front of their people.
32 If you have been foolish enough to be arrogant and plan evil, stop and think! 33 If you churn milk, you get butter. If you hit someone's nose, it bleeds. If you stir up anger, you get into 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!
