The chapter opens with the sayings of Agur son of Jakeh. Agur confesses his own limitation and lack of human mastery. He says he has not learned wisdom in the sense of possessing divine knowledge, nor has he attained knowledge of the Holy One. He asks who has gone up to heaven and come down, who has gathered the wind, wrapped up the waters, established the ends of the earth, and what is his name and the name of his son. The questions expose the distance between human limitation and divine sovereignty.
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 “Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.
Proverbs 30:4
4 Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?
Agur declares that every word of God is flawless and that God is a shield to those who take refuge in him. The learner is warned not to add to God's words, lest God rebuke him and prove him a liar. Divine revelation is pure, sufficient, and not to be manipulated by human addition.
5 “Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
Agur asks two things before he dies: that falsehood and lies be kept far from him, and that he be given neither poverty nor riches but only daily bread. He fears that wealth may lead him to deny the LORD and say, 'Who is the LORD?' and that poverty may lead him to steal and dishonor the name of his God. Wisdom prays for contentment because both abundance and lack carry spiritual danger.
Proverbs 30:7-9
7 “Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny me before I die.
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9 lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Agur warns against slandering a servant to his master. He then describes four corrupt generations or kinds of people: those who curse parents, those pure in their own eyes yet unwashed, those with haughty eyes, and those whose teeth are swords to devour the poor and needy. The leech has two daughters crying, 'Give! Give!' Four things are never satisfied: the grave, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says enough. The eye that mocks a father and scorns an aged mother will be picked out by ravens and eaten by vultures.
Proverbs 30:10
10 “Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
Proverbs 30:11-14
11 There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from among men.
Proverbs 30:15-16
15 “The leech has two daughters: ‘Give, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough:’
16 Sheol, the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough.’
Proverbs 30:17
17 “The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother: the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat it.
Agur names three things too amazing for him and four he does not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, a snake on a rock, a ship on the high seas, and a man with a young woman. He then compares this to the way of an adulterous woman who eats, wipes her mouth, and says she has done nothing wrong. The unit juxtaposes wonder at mysterious movement with the disturbing secrecy and moral denial of adultery.
Proverbs 30:18-19
18 “There are three things which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
Proverbs 30:20
20 “So is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
Agur lists four things under which the earth trembles: a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty of food, a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress. The sayings observe social and moral disorder when people without wisdom, humility, or proper character are suddenly placed in positions of power, provision, or prominence.
Proverbs 30:21-23
21 “For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
22 For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
23 for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
Agur points to four small creatures that are exceedingly wise: ants, which are weak yet store food in summer; hyraxes or rock badgers, which are weak yet make their homes in crags; locusts, which have no king yet advance together in ranks; and lizards, which can be caught by hand yet are found in kings' palaces. Wisdom is visible in weakness, preparation, refuge, cooperation, and surprising access.
Proverbs 30:24-28
24 “There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
26 The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
28 You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
Agur lists three things stately in their stride and four that move with stately bearing: the lion, the strutting rooster or greyhound, the he-goat, and a king secure against revolt. The chapter closes with practical warning: if one has played the fool by exalting himself or has planned evil, he must clap his hand over his mouth. Pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.
Proverbs 30:29-31
29 “There are three things which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
30 The lion, which is mightiest among animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
31 the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
Proverbs 30:32-33
32 “If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood; so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”