Proverbs 30King James Version
The words of Agur, an otherwise unknown sage. He says things he has observed: four small things that are exceeding wise, the ant, the coney, the locust, the spider. Three things never satisfied, four that say not it is enough. 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 with a maid.
Agur son of Jakeh opens with a confession of ignorance and weakness before God, one of the most honest passages in Proverbs. He asks for neither poverty nor riches; give him only daily bread. A series of numerical proverbs follow: four things that are never satisfied, four things too wonderful to understand (including the way of a man with a maid), four things the earth cannot bear. Sharp observations on ants, rock badgers, locusts, and spiders.
Humility before God is the beginning of wisdom. The created world, closely observed, teaches what arrogance and position cannot.
30:8-9: 'Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.' The most honest financial prayer in the Bible.
The identity of Agur is debated; 'Jakeh' may be a non-Israelite name, suggesting the book's willingness to include wisdom from outside Israel's ethnic boundaries. His prayer for sufficiency reflects a broad wisdom tradition about the dangers of both excess and deprivation.
Agur son of Jakeh, an otherwise unknown sage. Ithiel and Ucal, addressed in verse 1 (possibly his students). No other named figures.
Agur's opening confession (verses 2-4) is a startling departure from the confident tone of the main collection. His questions parallel God's questions to Job in Job 38-39, suggesting shared traditions. The numerical proverbs are not moral instruction but close natural observation, a wisdom tradition that found theology in the created order.
For when you feel overwhelmed by what you don't know and are tempted to fake confidence. Agur starts from 'I don't know' and it turns out to be the most grounded place in the book.
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19The 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 with a maid.
20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.