When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and my robe and ripped out some of the hair from my head and beard. Then I sat down, quite devastated.

Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe ¹  gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. ²  Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.

They were telling me about his good deeds and then taking back to him the things I said. ¹  Tobiah, on the other hand, sent letters in order to scare ²  me.

Let darkness and the deepest shadow ¹  claim it; ²  let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day ³  terrify it!

Yet its voice ¹  echoes ²  throughout the earth; its ³  words carry ⁴  to the distant horizon. ⁵  In the sky ⁶  he has pitched a tent for the sun. ⁷ 

You burn them up like a fiery furnace ¹  when you appear; ²  the Lord angrily devours them; ³  the fire consumes them.

Because of all my enemies, people disdain me; ¹  my neighbors are appalled by my suffering ²  – those who know me are horrified by my condition; ³  those who see me in the street run away from me.

Do not let them say to themselves, ¹  “Aha! We have what we wanted!” ²  Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”

They ¹  spend all their time planning how to bring him ²  down. ³  They love to use deceit; ⁴  they pronounce blessings with their mouths, but inwardly they utter curses. ⁵  (Selah)

All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice, for those who want to harm me ¹  will be embarrassed and ashamed. ² 

my bones were not hidden from you, when ¹  I was made in secret and sewed together in the depths of the earth. ² 

The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh; an oracle: ²  This ³  man says ⁴  to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ukal: ⁵ 

For all day long ¹  his work produces pain and frustration, ²  and even at night his mind cannot relax! ³  This also is futile!

But he does not agree with this, his mind does not reason this way, ¹  for his goal is to destroy, and to eliminate many nations. ² 

The people of ¹  Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, their voices are heard as far away as Jahaz. For this reason Moab’s soldiers shout in distress; their courage wavers. ² 

O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline. ¹ 

Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you; indeed, ¹  every morning it will sweep by, it will come through during the day and the night.” ²  When this announcement is understood, it will cause nothing but terror.

Look, you are nothing, and your accomplishments are nonexistent; the one who chooses to worship you is disgusting. ¹ 

For my sake alone ¹  I will act, for how can I allow my name to be defiled? ²  I will not share my glory with anyone else! ³ 

For your hands are stained with blood and your fingers with sin; your lips speak lies, your tongue utters malicious words.