301 The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end: 2 For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man: 3 I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say? 5 Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him. 6 Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
7 I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death: 8 Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food: 9 For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.
10 Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble. 11 There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother. 12 There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways. 13 There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up! 14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.
15 The night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Proverbs 30:1-15
Commentary on Proverbs 30:1-6
(Read Proverbs 30:1-6)
Agur speaks of himself as wanting a righteousness, and having done very foolishly. And it becomes us all to have low thoughts of ourselves. He speaks of himself as wanting revelation to guide him in the ways of truth and wisdom. The more enlightened people are, the more they lament their ignorance; the more they pray for clearer, still clearer discoveries of God, and his rich grace in Christ Jesus. In ver.
Commentary on Proverbs 30:7-14
(Read Proverbs 30:7-14)
In every age there are monsters of ingratitude who ill-treat their parents. Many persuade themselves they are holy persons, whose hearts are full of sin, and who practise secret wickedness. There are others whose lofty pride is manifest. There have also been cruel monsters in every age.
Commentary on Proverbs 30:15-17
(Read Proverbs 30:15-17)
Cruelty and covetousness are two daughters of the horseleech, that still cry, "Give, give," and they are continually uneasy to themselves. Four things never are satisfied, to which these devourers are compared. Those are never rich that are always coveting. And many who have come to a bad end, have owned that their wicked courses began by despising their parents' authority.