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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Prov C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31
Prov 30 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33
OET (OET-LV) Deceitfulness and_a_message_of falsehood put_far_away from_me poverty and_wealth do_not give to_me let_me_devour the_food_of my_allotment_of_my.
OET (OET-RV) Keep deceitfulness and lying far away from me,
⇔ and don’t give me either poverty or riches—
⇔ just give me the food that I need
This section is a collection of verses that were written or organized by Agur the son of Jakeh.Some scholars think that Agur wrote or collected only verses 1–4, 1–6, 1–9, or 1–14. UBS (page 617), Toy (page 518), and Longman (page 513) are among those who list some of these possibilities. The GNT indicates with quotation marks that Agur’s words end after v.6. No other versions indicate that Agur’s words end before the end of the chapter. Waltke (volume I, page 26) strongly defends the entire chapter as the “oracle” of Agur on the basis of its structural unity. Kidner (page 178) divides the chapter into two sections (1–9) and (10–33), but identifies both as coming from “the sage.” The title of this section (30:1a) is the only place in Scripture that Agur is mentioned. The section is divided into paragraphs that vary from one to five verses. The Notes will suggest a paragraph heading for all paragraphs after 30:1a. It is suggested that you use similar headings in your translation to help the readers follow the changes of topic and audience.
The first nine verses contain Agur’s personal thoughts and prayers. Some are addressed to God, others to his audience. The rest of the chapter contains proverbs on various topics. Some are individual warnings or statements (30:10, 17, 20, 32–33). Others contain several kinds of lists of four items each. The lists in verses 15b–16, 18–19, 21–23, and 29–31 have the same form as the numerical proverb in 6:16–19. (See the paragraph summary for 6:16–19 and the notes on 6:16a–b.) The lists in verses 11–14 and 24–28 have different forms. These will be described in the paragraph summaries where they first occur.
Some other headings for this section are:
The Words of Agur (ESV)
Wise Words from Agur (NCV)
Words that the LORD caused Agur to make known
This prayer has the following structure:Whybray (page 411).
Introduction to Agur’s two requests (30:7a–b)
The two requests (30:8a–c)
Agur’s motives or reasons for making these requests (30:9a–d)
Agur’s two requests are for honesty (30:8a) and a moderate standard of living that meets his needs (30:8b–c).
8aKeep falsehood and deceitful words far from me.
8bGive me neither poverty nor riches;
8cfeed me with the bread that is my portion.
Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me.
My first request is that you(sing) help me to never tell lies or deceive people.
First, please help me to always tell the truth.
Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me: The words falsehood and deceitful words are synonyms. They are used together here for emphasis.Fox (page 859). Waltke (page 479) mentions the possibility that the two expressions are a hendiadys that means “deceitful lies,” but no versions translate it that way. Longman (page 525) and Ross (page 1120) summarize this request as a desire to be honest. The first request is that the LORD will enable him to never say anything that deceives another person or to tell any lies. Some other ways to translate this line are:
Use two similar terms. For example:
Keep me from lying and being dishonest. (NCV)
Use one term and express the emphasis in a different way. For example:
First, help me never to tell a lie. (NLT)
Express the meaning positively. For example:
Make me absolutely honest (CEV)
The second request has two parts. In both parts, Agur acknowledges the LORD’s control of his financial situation.
The first part (8b) is stated negatively. This part describes Agur’s desire to be neither poor nor rich. The second part (8c) is stated positively.Murphy (page 229) and Whybray (page 411) identify this prayer as a numerical proverb with three separate requests. Most scholars explicitly identify two requests. According to Fox (page 859), “verse 8c is a restatement of v8b, not a third request.” It describes his desire to have enough food and other resources to meet his needs, not less and not more.
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
My second request is that you(sing) do not allow me to be very poor or very rich.
And second, direct/control my situation/life so that I do not become poor or rich.
Give me neither poverty nor riches: Some other ways to translate this line are:
Do not make me poor or rich (Voice)
and don’t let me be too poor or too rich (CEV)
Direct what happens to me so that I do not become poor or rich.
feed me with the bread that is my portion.
Just give me enough to eat each day.
I will be satisfied if you(sing) allow me to have the food and other things that I need.
feed me with the bread that is my portion: Bread was the main food of the Jews. Here the phrase represents the food that he needs every day.
This line is parallel to his request for adequate resources (30:8b). So the need for adequate food also represents his overall material needs.
Some other ways to translate this line are:
Specify food, especially if it also implies other basic needs. For example:
but provide me with the food I need (REB)
So give me only as much food as I need. (GNT)
Translate in a general way that refers to any basic needs. For example:
Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. (NLT)
but give me each day what I need (Voice)
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative
שָׁ֤וְא ׀ וּֽדְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב הַרְחֵ֬ק מִמֶּ֗נִּי
falsehood and,a_word_of lying keep_~_far from,me
This is an imperative clause, but it communicates a polite request rather than a command. Use a form in your language that communicates a polite request. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: “Please put far away from me emptiness and the word of a lie”
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
שָׁ֤וְא ׀ וּֽדְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב הַרְחֵ֬ק מִמֶּ֗נִּי
falsehood and,a_word_of lying keep_~_far from,me
Here, Agur speaks of Emptiness and the word of a lie as if they were objects that could be put far away from a person. He means that he wants God to prevent him from acting or speaking with Emptiness and the word of a lie. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Keep me from acting with emptiness and speaking the word of a lie”
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
שָׁ֤וְא
falsehood
Emptiness here refers to dishonesty or deception. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Dishonesty”
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
וּֽדְבַר־כָּזָ֡ב
and,a_word_of lying
Here, Agur is using the possessive form to describe a word that is a lie. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “and a lying word”
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
וּֽדְבַר
and,a_word_of
See how you translated the same use of word in [12:25](../12/25.md).
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative
רֵ֣אשׁ וָ֭עֹשֶׁר אַל־תִּֽתֶּן־לִ֑י הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי לֶ֣חֶם חֻקִּֽי
poverty and,wealth not give to=me let,me_devour food/grain/bread my_allotment_of,my
These two clauses are imperative clauses, but they communicate polite requests rather than commands. Use a form in your language that communicates polite requests. It may be helpful to add expressions such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: “Please do not give to me poverty or riches; please cause me to receive the bread of my portion”
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
רֵ֣אשׁ וָ֭עֹשֶׁר אַל־תִּֽתֶּן־לִ֑י
poverty and,wealth not give to=me
Here, Agur speaks of being poor or rich as if poverty and riches were physical objects that someone could give to someone else. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Do not allow me to be poor or rich”
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
לֶ֣חֶם חֻקִּֽי
food/grain/bread my_allotment_of,my
This could refer to: (1) an amount of bread that Yahweh has allotted for Agur. Alternate translation: “the bread you have apportioned for me” (2) the amount of bread Agur needs to live. Alternate translation: “the bread I need”
Note 9 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast
הַ֝טְרִיפֵ֗נִי
let,me_devour
This clause is a strong contrast to the previous clause. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate a contrast. Alternate translation: “rather, cause me to receive” or “cause me to receive instead”
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche
לֶ֣חֶם
food/grain/bread
See how you translated the same use of bread in [9:5](../09/05.md).
30:7-9 Agur requests two favors from God: that God will help him not to lie (cp. 6:16-19; 14:5, 25; 25:18; 26:18-19) and that he not be given too much or too little. It is not sinful to be rich (3:9-10, 15-16; 10:15, 22) or poor (3:27; 11:24; 28:27; 29:7, 14), but Agur wisely wanted to avoid the pitfalls of both.
OET (OET-LV) Deceitfulness and_a_message_of falsehood put_far_away from_me poverty and_wealth do_not give to_me let_me_devour the_food_of my_allotment_of_my.
OET (OET-RV) Keep deceitfulness and lying far away from me,
⇔ and don’t give me either poverty or riches—
⇔ just give me the food that I need
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.