1
ܡ̈ܠܘܗܝ ܕܐܓܘܪ ܒܪ ܝܩܝ ܕܩܒܠ ܢܒܝܘܬܐ ܘܐܬܡܨܝ ܚܝܠܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܐܬܠܝܐܝܠ
mlwhy d'gwr br yqy dqbl nbywth' w'thmtsy khyl' w'mr l'thly'yl
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2
ܡܛܠ ܕܚܣܝܪ ܗܘ ܪܥܝܢܝ ܘܠܝܬ ܒܝ ܣܘܟܠܐ ܕܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܢܫܐ
mTl dkhsyr hw reyny wlyth by swkl' dbny 'nsh'
“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
3
ܘܠܐ ܝܕܥܬ ܚܟܡܬܐ ܘܠܐ ܝܠܦܬ ܝܕܥܬܐ ܕܩܕܝܫ̈ܐ
wl' ydeth khkmth' wl' ylpth ydeth' dqdysh'
I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4
ܐܡܪ ܠܝ ܡܢܘ ܣܠܩ ܠܫܡܝܐ ܘܢܚܬ ܘܡܢܘ ܐܚܕ ܪܘܚܐ ܒܚ̈ܘܦܢܘܗܝ ܘܡܢܘ ܨܪ ܡ̈ܝܐ ܒܫܘܫܦܐ ܘܡܢܘ ܐܩܝܡ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܥܒܪ̈ܝܗ̇ ܕܐܪܥܐ ܐܝܢܘ ܫܡܗ ܘܐܝܢܘ ܫܡܐ ܕܒܪܗ ܐܢ ܝܕܥ ܐܢܬ
'mr ly mnw slq lshmy' wnkhth wmnw 'khd rwkh' bkhwpnwhy wmnw tsr my' bshwshp' wmnw 'qym klhwn ebryh d're' 'ynw shmh w'ynw shm' dbrh 'n yde 'nth
Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?
5
ܟܠܗܘܢ ܡܐܡܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܓܒܝ̈ܢ ܘܡܣܝܥ ܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܬܟܝܠܝܢ ܥܠܘܗܝ
klhwn m'mrwhy d'lh' gbyn wmsye l'ylyn dthkylyn elwhy
“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6
ܠܐ ܬܘܣܦ ܥܠ ܡ̈ܠܘܗܝ ܕܠܐ ܢܟܣܟ ܘܬܬܟܕܒ
l' thwsp el mlwhy dl' nksk wththkdb
Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
7
ܬܪ̈ܬܝܢ ܫܐܠܬ ܡܢܟ ܠܐ ܬܟܠܐ ܡܢܝ ܥܕܠܐ ܐܡܘܬ
thrthyn sh'lth mnk l' thkl' mny edl' 'mwth
“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.
8
ܐܪܚܩ ܡܢܝ ܣܪܝܩܘܬܐ ܘܡܡܠܠܐ ܟܕܒܐ ܘܡܣܟܢܘܬܐ ܘܥܘܬܪܐ ܠܐ ܬܬܠ ܠܝ ܗܒ ܠܝ ܥܘܡܪܐ ܡܣܬܝ
'rkhq mny sryqwth' wmmll' kdb' wmsknwth' wewthr' l' ththl ly hb ly ewmr' msthy
Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9
ܕܠܐ ܐܣܒܥ ܘܐܟܕܒ ܘܐܡܪ ܡܢܘ ܡܪܝܐ ܘܕܠܐ ܐܬܡܣܟܢ ܘܐܓܢܘܒ ܘܐܡܐ ܒܫܡܗ ܕܐܠܗܝ
dl' 'sbe w'kdb w'mr mnw mry' wdl' 'thmskn w'gnwb w'm' bshmh d'lhy
lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
10
ܠܐ ܬܫܠܡ ܥܒ̣ܕܐ ܠܡܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܕܠܐ ܢܠܘܛܟ ܘܬܬܚܝܒ
l' thshlm ebd' lmrwhy dl' nlwTk wththkhyb
“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
11
ܠܕܪܐ ܕܐ̈ܒܗܘܗܝ ܢܨܚܐ ܘܠܐܡܗ ܠܐ ܢܒܪܟ
ldr' d'bhwhy ntskh' wl'mh l' nbrk
There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
12
ܕܪܐ ܕܕܟܐ ܒܥܝܢ̈ܝ ܢܦܫܗ ܘܡܢ ܨܐܬܗ ܠܐ ܐܬܬܫܝܓ
dr' ddk' beyny npshh wmn ts'thh l' 'ththshyg
There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13
ܕܪܐ ܡܐ ܕܪ̈ܡܢ ܥܝ̈ܢܘܗܝ ܘܬܡܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܡܫܩܠ
dr' m' drmn eynwhy wthmrwhy mshql
There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
14
ܕܪܐ ܕܣܦܣܪ̈ܐ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܫܢ̈ܘܗܝ ܘܣܟܝܢܝ̈ܬܐ ܢܝ̈ܒܘܗܝ ܠܡܐܟܠ ܡܣ̈ܟܢܐ ܕܐܪܥܐ ܘܒܝ̇ܫ̈ܐ ܕܒܢܝ̈ܢܫܐ
dr' dspsr' 'nyn shnwhy wskynyth' nybwhy lm'kl mskn' d're' wbysh' dbnynsh'
There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.
15
ܠܥܠܘܩܐ ܬܠܬ ܗ̈ܘܝ ܠܗ ܒܢ̈ܢ ܚܒܝ̈ܒܢ ܬܠܬ ܐܢܝ̈ܢ ܕܠܐ ܣܒ̈ܥܢ ܘܕܐܪܒܥ ܠܐ ܐܡܪܐ ܟܕܘ
lelwq' thlth hwy lh bnn khbybn thlth 'nyn dl' sben wd'rbe l' 'mr' kdw
“The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
16
ܫܝܘܠ ܘܐܚܕܬ ܪ̈ܚܡܝܗ̇ ܘܐܪܥܐ ܠܐ ܣܒܥܐ ܡ̈ܝܐ ܘܢܘܪܐ ܠܐ ܐܡܪܐ ܟܕܘ
shywl w'khdth rkhmyh w're' l' sbe' my' wnwr' l' 'mr' kdw
Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’
17
ܥܝܢܐ ܕܓܚܟܐ ܥܠ ܐܒܘܗ̇ ܘܫܝܛܐ ܣܝܒܘܬܐ ܕܐܡܗ̇ ܢܚܨܘܢܗ̇ ܥܘܪ̈ܒܐ ܕܢܚܠܐ ܘܢܐܟܠܘܢܗ̇ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܢܫܪܐ
eyn' dgkhk' el 'bwh wshyT' sybwth' d'mh nkhtswnh ewrb' dnkhl' wn'klwnh bny nshr'
“The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.
18
ܬܠܬ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܕܟܣ̈ܝܢ ܡܢܝ ܘܕܐܪ̈ܒܥ ܠܐ ܝܕܥܬ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ
thlth 'nyn dksyn mny wd'rbe l' ydeth 'nyn
“There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
19
ܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܢܫܪܐ ܒܫܡܝܐ ܘܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܚܘܝܐ ܥܠ ܫܘܥܐ ܘܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܐܠܦܐ ܒܠܒܗ ܕܝܡܐ ܘܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܓܒܪܐ ܒܥܠܝܡܘܬܗ
'wrkh' dnshr' bshmy' w'wrkh' dkhwy' el shwe' w'wrkh' d'lp' blbh dym' w'wrkh' dgbr' belymwthh
The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20
ܗܟܢܐ ܗܝ ܐܘܪܚܗ̇ ܕܐܢܬܬܐ ܓܝܪܬܐ ܐܟܠܐ ܘܡܟܦܪܐ ܦܘܡܗ̇ ܘܐܡܪܐ ܡܕܡ ܠܐ ܥܒܕܬ
hkn' hy 'wrkhh d'nthth' gyrth' 'kl' wmkpr' pwmh w'mr' mdm l' ebdth
“So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21
ܬܚܝܬ ܬܠܬ ܙܝܥܐ ܐܪܥܐ ܘܬܚܝܬ ܐܪ̈ܒܥ ܠܐ ܡܫܟܚܐ ܠܡܣܝܒܪܘ
thkhyth thlth zye' 're' wthkhyth 'rbe l' mshkkh' lmsybrw
“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
22
ܬܚܝܬ ܥܒ̣ܕܐ ܟܕ ܢܡܠܟ ܘܬܚܝܬ ܣܟܠܐ ܕܣܒܥ ܠܚܡܐ
thkhyth ebd' kd nmlk wthkhyth skl' dsbe lkhm'
For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
23
ܘܬܚܝܬ ܣܢܘܐܬܐ ܕܗܘܝܐ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܘܬܚܝܬ ܐܡܬܐ ܕܡܦܩܐ ܠܡܪܬܗ̇
wthkhyth snw'th' dhwy' lgbr' wthkhyth 'mth' dmpq' lmrthh
for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
24
ܐܪ̈ܒܥ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܕܙܥܘܪ̈ܝܢ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܘܗ̈ܢܝܢ ܚ̈ܟܝܡܢ ܡܢ ܚ̈ܟܝܡܐ
'rbe 'nyn dzewryn b're' whnyn khkymn mn khkym'
“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
25
ܫ̈ܘܫܡܢܐ ܕܚܝܠܐ ܠܝܬ ܒܗܘܢ ܘܡܛܝܒܝܢ ܡܢ ܩܝܛܐ ܠܚܡܗܘܢ
shwshmn' dkhyl' lyth bhwn wmTybyn mn qyT' lkhmhwn
The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
26
ܘܚܓ̈ܣܐ ܕܒܨܝܪܝܢ ܒܚܝܠܐ ܘܥܒܕܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܒܬ̈ܐ ܒܫ̈ܘܥܐ
wkhgs' dbtsyryn bkhyl' webdyn lhwn bth' bshwe'
The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
27
ܘܩܡ̈ܨܐ ܕܡܠܟܘ ܠܝܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܡܬܟܢܫܝܢ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܐܝܟ ܚܕܐ
wqmts' dmlkw lyth lhwn wmthknshyn klhwn 'yk khd'
The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
28
ܘܐܡܩܬܐ ܕܡܣܒܟܐ ܒܐܝ̈ܕܝܗ̇ ܘܥܡܪܐ ܒܒ̈ܬܐ ܕܡ̈ܠܟܐ
w'mqth' dmsbk' b'ydyh wemr' bbth' dmlk'
You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
29
ܬܠܬ ܐ̈ܢܝܢ ܕܬܪ̈ܝܨܢ ܗ̈ܠܟܬܗܝܢ ܘܕܐܪ̈ܒܥ ܫܦܝܪ ܡܗ̈ܠܟܢ
thlth 'nyn dthrytsn hlkthhyn wd'rbe shpyr mhlkn
“There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
30
ܓܘܪܝܐ ܕܐܪܝܐ ܓܢܒܪ ܗܘ ܡܢ ܟܠܗ̇ ܒܥܝܪܐ ܘܠܐ ܕܚܠ ܘܠܐ ܗܦܟ ܡܢ ܟܘܠܗ̇ ܒܥܝܪܐ
gwry' d'ry' gnbr hw mn klh beyr' wl' dkhl wl' hpk mn kwlh beyr'
The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
31
ܘܐܒܟܐ ܕܡܙܕܪܟܠ ܒܝܢ̈ܬ ܬܪ̈ܢܓܠܬܐ ܘܬܝܫܐ ܕܐܙܠ ܒܪܝܫ ܓܙܪܐ ܘܡܠܟܐ ܕܡܡܠܠ ܒܝܬ ܥܡ̈ܡܐ
w'bk' dmzdrkl bynth thrnglth' wthysh' d'zl brysh gzr' wmlk' dmmll byth emm'
the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
32
ܠܐ ܬܪܓ ܕܠܐ ܬܨܛܥܪ ܘܠܐ ܬܘܫܛ ܐܝܕܟ ܠܦܘܡܟ ܒܥܬܐ
l' thrg dl' thtsTer wl' thwshT 'ydk lpwmk beth'
“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33
ܡܢ ܫܘܡܢܗ ܕܚܠܒܐ ܢܦܩܐ ܚܐܘܬܐ ܘܐܢ ܬܟܒܘܫ ܐܝܕܟ ܥܠ ܚܛܬܐ ܢܦܘܩ ܕܡܐ ܗܟܢܐ ܡܢ ܚܪܝܢܐ ܕܐ̈ܦܐ ܢܦܩ ܕܝܢܐ
mn shwmnh dkhlb' npq' kh'wth' w'n thkbwsh 'ydk el khTth' npwq dm' hkn' mn khryn' d'p' npq dyn'
For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”