Hem Personer Ucal Ucal is a person mentioned in Proverbs 30 :1, along with Ithiel, as the recipient of the wise sayings of Agur son of Jakeh. Very little is known about Ucal beyond this single reference, and some biblical scholars suggest that the name may be part of a Hebrew sentence rather than a proper noun. Regardless of interpretation, Ucal is linked to the wisdom tradition in the Old Testament.
Nyckelhändelser Ucal is mentioned together with Ithiel as one of those to whom Agur son of Jakeh directed his wise sayings.
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh—an oracle. This is what the man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: hebr דִּבְרֵ֤י ׀ אָג֥וּר בִּן־יָקֶ֗ה הַמַּ֫שָּׂ֥א נְאֻ֣ם הַ֭גֶּבֶר לְאִֽיתִיאֵ֑ל לְאִ֖יתִיאֵ֣ל וְאֻכָֽל׃
In the context where Ucal is mentioned, Agur confesses his own limited understanding and points to God's greatness and wisdom.
2 Surely I am more like a brute than a man; I do not have human understanding. hebr כִּ֤י בַ֣עַר אָנֹכִ֣י מֵאִ֑ישׁ וְלֹֽא־בִינַ֖ת אָדָ֣ם לִֽי׃
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I gained knowledge of the Holy One. hebr וְלֹֽא־לָמַ֥דְתִּי חָכְמָ֑ה וְדַ֖עַת קְדֹשִׁ֣ים אֵדָֽע׃
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know! hebr מִ֤י עָלָֽה־שָׁמַ֨יִם ׀ וַיֵּרַ֡ד מִ֤י אָֽסַף־ר֨וּחַ ׀ בְּחָפְנָ֡יו מִ֤י צָֽרַר־מַ֨יִם ׀ בַּשִּׂמְלָ֗ה מִ֭י הֵקִ֣ים כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ מַה־שְּׁמ֥וֹ וּמַֽה־שֶּׁם־בְּ֝נ֗וֹ כִּ֣י תֵדָֽע׃
The wise sayings addressed to Ucal and Ithiel include a famous prayer to be kept from falsehood and to have neither poverty nor riches.
5 Every word of God is refined; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. hebr כָּל־אִמְרַ֣ת אֱל֣וֹהַּ צְרוּפָ֑ה מָגֵ֥ן ה֝֗וּא לַֽחֹסִ֥ים בּֽוֹ׃
6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and expose you as a liar. hebr אַל־תּ֥וֹסְףְּ עַל־דְּבָרָ֑יו פֶּן־יוֹכִ֖יחַ בְּךָ֣ וְנִכְזָֽבְתָּ׃ פ
7 Two things I ask of you; do not withhold them from me before I die: hebr שְׁ֭תַּיִם שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵאִתָּ֑ךְ אַל־תִּמְנַ֥ע מִ֝מֶּ֗נִּי בְּטֶ֣רֶם אָמֽוּת׃
8 Keep falsehood and lying far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread I need, hebr שָׁ֤וְא ׀ וּֽדְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב הַרְחֵ֬ק מִמֶּ֗נִּי רֵ֣אשׁ וָ֭עֹשֶׁר אַל־תִּֽתֶּן־לִ֑י הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי לֶ֣חֶם חֻקִּֽי׃
9 or I may have too much and deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. hebr פֶּ֥ן אֶשְׂבַּ֨ע ׀ וְכִחַשְׁתִּי֮ וְאָמַ֗רְתִּי מִ֥י יְה֫וָ֥ה וּפֶֽן־אִוָּרֵ֥שׁ וְגָנַ֑בְתִּי וְ֝תָפַ֗שְׂתִּי שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהָֽי׃ פ
The subsequent wise sayings in Agur's collection, which Ucal received, contain characteristic numerical proverbs about the mysteries of life.
15 The leech has two daughters: "Give!" and "Give!" Three things are never satisfied, four never say, "Enough!": hebr לֽ͏ַעֲלוּקָ֨ה ׀ שְׁתֵּ֥י בָנוֹת֮ הַ֤ב ׀ הַ֥ב שָׁל֣וֹשׁ הֵ֭נָּה לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה אַ֝רְבַּ֗ע לֹא־אָ֥מְרוּ הֽוֹן׃
16 the grave, the barren womb, land that never has enough water, and fire, which never says, "Enough!" hebr שְׁאוֹל֮ וְעֹ֢צֶ֫ר רָ֥חַם אֶ֭רֶץ לֹא־שָׂ֣בְעָה מַּ֑יִם וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ לֹא־אָ֥מְרָה הֽוֹן׃
17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the young vultures. hebr עַ֤יִן ׀ תִּֽלְעַ֣ג לְאָב֮ וְתָב֢וּז לִֽיקֲּהַ֫ת־אֵ֥ם יִקְּר֥וּהָ עֹרְבֵי־נַ֑חַל וְֽיֹאכְל֥וּהָ בְנֵי־נָֽשֶׁר׃ פ
18 Three things are too wonderful for me, four I cannot understand: hebr שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה הֵ֭מָּה נִפְלְא֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נִּי *וארבע **וְ֝אַרְבָּעָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְדַעְתִּֽים׃
19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the open sea, and the way of a man with a young woman. hebr דֶּ֤רֶךְ הַנֶּ֨שֶׁר ׀ בַּשָּׁמַיִם֮ דֶּ֥רֶךְ נָחָ֗שׁ עֲלֵ֫י צ֥וּר דֶּֽרֶךְ־אֳנִיָּ֥ה בְלֶב־יָ֑ם וְדֶ֖רֶךְ גֶּ֣בֶר בְּעַלְמָֽה׃