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| [1]דברי אגור בן־יקה־המשא נאם הגבר לאיתיאל לאיתיאל ואכל |
[1]THESE are the words of Agur the son of Jakeh, who prophesied and received power, He said to Ithliel, |
| [2]כי בער אנכי מאיש ולא־בינת אדם לי |
[2]Surely, I am weak minded, and have not the understanding of men. |
| [3]ולא־למדתי חכמה ודעת קדשים אדע |
[3]I know not wisdom, nor have I learned the knowledge of the holy men. |
| [4]מי עלה־שמים וירד מי אסף־רוח בחפניו מי צרר־מים בשמלה מי הקים כל־אפסי־ארץ מה־שמו ומה־שם־בנו כי תדע |
[4]Tell me, Who has ascended up into heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in a handkerchief? Who has established all the borders of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you can tell? |
| [5]כל־אמרת אלוה צרופה מגן הוא לחסים בו |
[5]Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who put their trust in him. |
| [6]אל־תוסף על־דבריו פן־יוכיח בך ונכזבת |
[6]Do not add to his words; lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar |
| [7]שתים שאלתי מאתך אל־תמנע ממני בטרם אמות |
[7]Two things have I asked of thee; deny them not to me before I die: |
| [8]שוא ודבר־כזב הרחק ממני ראש ועשר אל־תתן־לי הטריפני לחם חקי |
[8]Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; give me life sufficient |
| [9]פן אשבע וכחשתי ואמרתי מי יהוה ופן־אורש וגנבתי ותפשתי שם אלהי |
[9]Lest I be full, and lie, and say, Who is the LORD? Or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain |
| [10]אל־תלשן עבד אל־אדנו פן־יקללך ואשמת |
[10]Do not deliver a slave to his master, lest he curse you, and you be found guilty. |
| [11]דור אביו יקלל ואת־אמו לא יברך |
[11]There is a generation that curses their fathers, and does not bless their mothers. |
| [12]דור טהור בעיניו ומצאתו לא רחץ |
[12]There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and vet is not washed from their filthiness. |
| [13]דור מה־רמו עיניו ועפעפיו ינשאו |
[13]There is a generation. O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. |
| [14]דור חרבות שניו ומאכלות מתלעתיו לאכל עניים מארץ ואביונים מאדם |
[14]There is a generation, whose teeth are like swords, and their jaw teeth like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among men |
| [15]לעלוקה שתי בנות הב הב שלוש הנה לא תשבענה ארבע לא־אמרו הון |
[15]A gluttonous man has three beloved daughters. There are three things that are never satisfied; yea, a fourth that never says, It is enough: |
| [16]שאול ועצר־רחם ארץ לא־שבעה מים ואש לא־אמרה הון |
[16]Sheol; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that never says, It is enough. |
| [17]עין תלעג לאב ותבז ליקהת־אם יקרוה ערבי־נחל ויאכלוה בני־נשר |
[17]The eye that mocks at his father and despises the old age of his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young vultures shall eat it |
| [18]שלשה המה נפלאו ממני וארבע [Q: וארבעה] לא ידעתים |
[18]There are three things that are hidden from me, yea, four which I do not know: |
| [19]דרך הנשר בשמים דרך נחש עלי־צור דרך־אניה בלב־ים ודרך גבר בעלמה |
[19]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 his youth. |
| [20]כן דרך אשה מנאפת אכלה ומחתה פיה ואמרה לא־פעלתי און |
[20]Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no evil. |
| [21]תחת שלוש רגזה ארץ ותחת ארבע לא־תוכל שאת |
[21]Under three things the earth quakes, and under four it cannot endure: |
| [22]תחת־עבד כי ימלוך ונבל כי ישבע־לחם |
[22]Under a servant when he reigns: and under a fool when he is filled with bread; |
| [23]תחת שנואה כי תבעל ושפחה כי תירש גברתה |
[23]Under an odious woman when she is married; and under a maidservant who ousts her mistress |
| [24]ארבעה הם קטני־ארץ והמה חכמים מחכמים |
[24]There are four things that are small upon the earth, but they are wiser than wise men: |
| [25]הנמלים עם לא־עז ויכינו בקיץ לחמם |
[25]The ants which have no strength, yet they provide their food in the summer; |
| [26]שפנים עם לא־עצום וישימו בסלע ביתם |
[26]The conies who lack strength, and yet they make their houses in the rocks; |
| [27]מלך אין לארבה ויצא חצץ כלו |
[27]The locusts who have no king, and yet they all gather together. |
| [28]שממית בידים תתפש והיא בהיכלי מלך |
[28]The chameleon which takes hold with her hands, but is found in kings' palaces |
| [29]שלשה המה מיטיבי צעד וארבעה מיטבי לכת |
[29]There are three things that go well, yea, four are graceful in their going: |
| [30]ליש גבור בבהמה ולא־ישוב מפני־כל |
[30]The lion which is mightiest among beasts, and neither fears nor turns back before any of the beasts: |
| [31]זרזיר מתנים או־תיש ומלך אלקום עמו |
[31]The cock that walks proudly among the chickens; the he-goat that goes before the flock; and a king who speaks among the people. |
| [32]אם־נבלת בהתנשא ואם־זמות יד לפה |
[32]Covet not that you may not be reproached; do not feed yourself by things acquired wrongfully. |
| [33]כי מיץ חלב יוציא חמאה ומיץ־אף יוציא דם ומיץ אפים יוציא ריב |
[33]Out of the richness of the milk comes forth butter; and if you press your hand on a raw grain of wheat, it will bring forth juices; thus out of the strife goes forth judgment |