The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:

Verba Congregantis, filii Vomentis. Visio quam locutus est vir cum quo est Deus, et qui Deo secum morante confortatus, ait:

Here are the words of Agur, son of Jacé. Here is revelation made known by one that had God with him, God’s near presence to comfort him, as he spoke.

I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.

Stultissimus sum virorum, et sapientia hominum non est mecum.

What though I be ignorant, beyond human wont?

I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.

Non didici sapientiam, et non novi scientiam sanctorum.

What though the knowledge of man has passed me by, wisdom’s dull pupil, without skill in holy lore?

Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?

Quis ascendit in cælum, atque descendit? quis continuit spiritum in manibus suis? quis colligavit aquas quasi in vestimento? quis suscitavit omnes terminos terræ? quod nomen est ejus, et quod nomen filii ejus, si nosti?

Who may he be that has scaled heaven, and come back to tell its secrets; held the winds in the hollow of his hand, wrapped away the storm-clouds under his mantle, fixed the bounds of earth? Tell me his name; tell me, if thou canst, where son of his may be found?

Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.

Omnis sermo Dei ignitus: clypeus est sperantibus in se.

All God’s promises are like metal tested in the fire; he is the sure defence of all who trust in him.

Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar:

Ne addas quidquam verbis illius, et arguaris, inveniarisque mendax.

Add to his word no word of thine; speedily thy practices shall come to light.

Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me before I die.

Duo rogavi te: ne deneges mihi antequam moriar:

Two requests I would make of thee; be they mine while life lasts.

Remove far from me vanity, and lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:

vanitatem et verba mendacia longe fac a me; mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi: tribue tantum victui meo necessaria,

Keep my thoughts ever far from treachery and lying; and for my state of life, be neither poverty mine nor riches. Grant me only the livelihood I need;

Lest perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.

ne forte satiatus illiciar ad negandum, et dicam: Quis est Dominus? aut egestate compulsus, furer, et perjurem nomen Dei mei.

so shall not abundance tempt me to disown thee, and doubt if Lord there be, nor want bid me steal, and dishonour my God’s name with perjury.

Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.

Ne accuses servum ad dominum suum, ne forte maledicat tibi, et corruas.

Never accuse a slave to his master; curse thee he may, and to thy undoing.

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

Generatio quæ patri suo maledicit, et quæ matri suæ non benedicit;

A bad breed it is, that curse their fathers and for their mothers have no good word.

A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.

generatio quæ sibi munda videtur, et tamen non est lota a sordibus suis;

A bad breed, that owns no blot, yet is all unpurged from its defilement.

A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.

generatio cujus excelsi sunt oculi, et palpebræ ejus in alta surrectæ;

A bad breed, all haughty looks and scornful brow.

A generation, that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor from among men.

generatio quæ pro dentibus gladios habet, et commandit molaribus suis, ut comedat inopes de terra, et pauperes ex hominibus.

A bad breed, that has teeth sharp as swords, jaws that grind slowly on, till poor folk none are left, their friendless neighbours.

The horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.

Sanguisugæ duæ sunt filiæ, dicentes: Affer, affer. Tria sunt insaturabilia, et quartum quod numquam dicit: Sufficit.

Two sisters there are, men say, brood of the leech, that still cry, Give us more, give us more! But stay, there is a third Insatiable; nay, a fourth I can name that never says, Enough!

Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: It is enough.

Infernus, et os vulvæ, et terra quæ non satiatur aqua: ignis vero numquam dicit: Sufficit.

The grave, and the barren womb, and earth that soaks up the rain, and fire; did fire ever say, Enough?

The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.

Oculum qui subsannat patrem, et qui despicit partum matris suæ, effodiant eum corvi de torrentibus, et comedant eum filii aquilæ!

Proud looks, that tell of a father mocked, a mother’s pangs despised! That eye the ravens shall pick out on the hill-side, the vulture’s brood shall prey on it.

Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.

Tria sunt difficilia mihi, et quartum penitus ignoro:

Three mysteries there are too high for me, and a fourth is beyond my ken;

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 in youth.

viam aquilæ in cælo, viam colubri super petram, viam navis in medio mari, et viam viri in adolescentia.

eagle that flies in air, viper that crawls on rock, ship that sails the sea, and man that goes courting maid.

Such is also the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.

Talis est et via mulieris adulteræ, quæ comedit, et tergens os suum dicit: Non sum operata malum.

Nor less I marvel at wanton wife that licks her greedy lips, and will have it that she did no harm.

By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:

Per tria movetur terra, et quartum non potest sustinere:

Three sights there are set earth trembling, and a fourth it cannot endure;

By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:

per servum, cum regnaverit; per stultum, cum saturatus fuerit cibo;

slave turned king, churl full fed,

By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.

per odiosam mulierem, cum in matrimonio fuerit assumpta; et per ancillam, cum fuerit hæres dominæ suæ.

a scold married, and a maid that supplants her mistress.

There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:

Quatuor sunt minima terræ, et ipsa sunt sapientiora sapientibus:

Of four little things in nature, wise men cannot match the skill.

The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:

formicæ, populus infirmus, qui præparat in messe cibum sibi;

How puny a race the ants, that hoard their food in harvest time;

The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:

lepusculus, plebs invalida, qui collocat in petra cubile suum;

how defenceless the rock-rabbits, that hide their burrows in the clefts!

The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands.

regem locusta non habet, et egreditur universa per turmas suas;

No prince have the locusts, yet ever they march in rank;

The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings’ houses.

stellio manibus nititur, et moratur in ædibus regis.

the lizard climbs high, and makes its home in the palaces of kings.

There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:

Tria sunt quæ bene gradiuntur, et quartum quod incedit feliciter:

Three creatures there are that walk majestically, and a fourth goes proudly on his way;

A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:

leo, fortissimus bestiarum, ad nullius pavebit occursum;

bravest of beasts, the lion, that fears no encounter,

A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.

gallus succinctus lumbos; et aries; nec est rex, qui resistat ei.

the cock (Loins-girt they call him), and the ram; and the king, too, for who can say him nay?

There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his mouth.

Est qui stultus apparuit postquam elevatus est in sublime; si enim intellexisset, ori suo imposuisset manum.

Fool that thrusts himself forward will prove a fool; he had been better advised to hold his tongue.

And he that strongly squeezeth the paps to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath bringeth forth strife.

Qui autem fortiter premit ubera ad eliciendum lac exprimit butyrum; et qui vehementer emungit elicit sanguinem; et qui provocat iras producit discordias.

First milk, then butter thou mayst have for the wringing; blow thy nose lustily, and blood shall flow at last; how then canst thou press thy quarrel home, and no strife come of it?