A man who is reproved, being stubborn of neck—
    suddenly he will be broken, and there will not be healing.
When the righteous are numerous, the people will rejoice,
    but when the wicked are ruling, people will groan.
A man who loves wisdom will make his parents glad,
    but the friend of prostitutes will squander his wealth.
By justice a king gives stability to a land,
    but a man of bribes will ruin it.
A strong man who flatters his neighbor
    is spreading a net for his feet.
In transgression, an evil man is a snare,
    but the righteous will sing and rejoice.
The righteous knows the case of the poor,
    but the wicked does not understand knowledge.
Men of scoffing set a city aflame,
    but the wise turn away wrath.
If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man,
    then there is rankling and ridicule, but there is no relief.
Men of blood hate the blameless,
    and they seek the life of the upright.
A fool gives all his breath,
    but the wise holds back in quiet.
A ruler listening to a word of falsehood,
    all his officials are wicked.
The poor and a man of oppression have this in common:
    Yahweh gives light to the eyes of them both.
A king who judges with truthfulness to the poor,
    his throne will be established forever.
As for a rod and reproof, they will give wisdom,
    but a neglected child is disgraced by his mother.
With the increase of the wicked, transgression will increase,
    but the righteous will look on his downfall.
Discipline your children, and they will give you rest,
    and they will give delight to your soul.
When there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint,
    but as for he who guards instruction, happiness is his.
By words, a servant is not disciplined,
    for he will understand, but there is no giving heed.
You see a man who is hasty in his words:
    there is more hope for a fool than him.
He who pampers his servant from childhood,
    arrogance will be his end.
A man of anger will stir strife,
    and the owner of anger, much transgression.
The pride of a person will bring him humiliation,
    and the lowly of spirit will obtain honor.
Being a partner with a thief is hating one’s life;
    a curse he will hear, but not disclose.
The fear of a person will lay a snare,
    but he who trusts in Yahweh will be secure.
Many are those who seek the favor of a ruler,
    but from Yahweh one obtains justice.
A man of injustice is an abomination to the righteous,
    but the upright is an abomination to the wicked.

The words of Agur, son of Yakeh, the oracle.
    Thus says the man to Ithiel, to Ithiel, and Ucal:
Certainly I am more stupid than a man,
    and the understanding of humankind is not for me.
And I have not learned wisdom,
    nor will I know knowledge of the Holy One.
Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
    Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of his hand?
    Who has wrapped water in a garment?
    Who has established all the ends of the earth?
    What is his name and what is the name of his child?
    For surely you know.
Every word of God is flawless;
    he is a shield for him who takes refuge in him.
Do not add to his words
    lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
Two things I ask from you;
    do not deny me before I die:
Keep falsehood and a lying word far from me;
    do not give me poverty or wealth;
    provide me with food only for my need.
Or else I will be satisfied and will deny him
    and say "Who is Yahweh?"
Or I will be poor and will steal
    and profane the name of my God.
Do not slander a servant to his master,
    or else he will curse you and you will be guilty.
There is a generation that will curse its father,
    and its mother it will not bless.
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
    but from its filthiness it will not be cleansed.
There is a generation—how lofty are their eyes!
    And their eyelids they will lift.
There is a generation whose teeth are swords,
    and its jawbones, knives,
in order to devour the poor from the earth
    and the needy from humankind.
For the leech, there are two daughters;
    "Give, give!" they cry.
As for three of these, they are not satisfied;
    as for four, they do not say enough.
Sheol and barrenness of womb,
    the land is not satisfied with water,
    and fire does not say "enough!"
The eye that mocks a father
    and scorns the obedience of a mother—
the ravens of the valley will peck it out,
    and the offspring of vultures will eat it.
Three of these are too wonderful for me,
    and four, I do not understand them:
the way of the eagle in the sky,
    the way of a snake on a rock,
    the way of a ship in the heart of the sea,
    and the way of a man with a young woman.
This is the way of a woman committing adultery:
    she eats and wipes her mouth,
    and says "I have not done wrong."
Under three things the earth trembles,
    and under four, it is not able to bear up:
under a slave when he becomes king,
    and a fool when he is satisfied with food;
under an unloved woman when she gets married,
    and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.
There are four small things on the earth,
    and they are exceedingly wise:
The ants are a people who are not strong,
    yet they prepare their food in the summer;
the badgers are a people who are not mighty,
    yet they set their house on the rock;
there is no king for the locust,
    yet it marches in rank;
a lizard you can seize with hands,
    yet it is in palaces of kings.
There are three things that are magnificent of stride,
    and four that are magnificent when moving:
a mighty lion among the beasts,
    but he will not turn back from any face;
a strutting rooster or he-goat,
    and a king whose army is with him.
If you have been foolish by exalting yourself,
    and if you have devised evil, put your hand to your mouth.
For pressing milk produces curd,
    and pressing the nose produces blood,
    so pressing anger produces strife.

The words of Lemuel, the king—an oracle
    that his mother taught him:
What, my son? And what, my son in my womb?
    And what, son of my vows?
Do not give your strength to the women,
    and your ways to destroy kings.
It is not for the kings, O Lemuel;
    drinking wine is not for the kings,
    nor is strong drink for rulers.
Or else he will drink and forget what has been decreed,
    and he will pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
    and wine to those in bitter distress.
He will drink and forget his poverty,
    and his misery he will not remember any more.
Open your mouth for the mute,
    for the rights of all the needy.
Open your mouth, judge righteousness,
    and defend the poor and needy.

A woman of excellence, who will find?
    For her worth is far more than precious jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and gain he will not lack.
She does him good, but not harm
    all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
    and she works with the diligence of her hands.
She is like the ships of a merchant;
    from far off she brings her food;
And she arises while it is still night,
    and gives food to her household,
    and tasks to her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it,
    from the fruit of her hand she plants a vineyard.
She girds her waist in strength,
    and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is good;
    her lamp does not go out in the night.
Her hands she puts onto the distaff,
    and her palms hold a spindle.
Her palm she opens to the poor,
    and her hand she reaches out to the needy.
She does not fear for her house when it snows,
    for her entire household is clothed in crimson.
She makes for herself coverings;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known at the gates,
    in his seat among the elders of the land.
Linen garments she makes and sells,
    and she supplies sashes for the merchants.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the future.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and instruction of kindness is upon her tongue.
She looks after the ways of her household,
    and the bread of idleness she will not eat.
Her children rise and consider her happy,
    her husband also, and he praises her;
"Many daughters have done excellence,
    but you surpass all of them."
Charm is deceit and beauty is vain;
    but a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised.
Give to her from the fruit of her hand,
    and may they praise her works in the city gates.