Proverbs 30:8–9
Agur asks for neither poverty nor riches, only the bread of his portion
Study it word by word8falsehood and a word of lies keep far from me; poverty and riches do not give me; feed me with the bread of my portion,
9lest I be satisfied and deny you and say, “Who is YHWH?” and lest I become poor and steal and profane the name of my Elohim.
In its context
6Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7Two things I have asked of you; do not deny them to me before I die:
…
10Do not slander a slave to his master, lest he curse you and you be guilty.
11A generation curses its father and does not bless its mother.
Its words in the original
- שָׁוְאshav· falsehood, emptiness; in vain
What is false, empty, worthless. "In vain" is using something for falsehood or for nothing.
- דְבַרdevar· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- כָּזָבkazav· lie, falsehood
A lie, falsehood: what is said or sought and is not true; also something that deceives because it promises and does not deliver.
- הַרְחֵקharchek· be far
Be far, go far away; in the causative form, remove far away.
- רֵאשׁresh· poverty
Poverty, lack of what is needed.
- עֹשֶׁרosher· wealth
Wealth, riches.
- תִּתֶּןtiten· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- הַטְרִיפֵhatrife· tear to pieces
Tear to pieces (said of wild animals); also provide food.
- לֶחֶםlechem· bread, food
Bread; in a wide sense, food.
- חֻקִּchuki· statute, allotted portion
What is fixed: an allotted portion, a rule, a statute; a limit.
- אֶשְׂבַּעesba· be satisfied
Be filled, be satisfied.
- כִחַשְׁתִּיchichashti· deny, deceive
Deny, lie, deceive; fail, disappoint.
- אָמַרְתִּיamarti· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אִוָּרֵשׁivaresh· possess, drive out
Take possession of something; inherit. Also take from others what they had: drive out, dispossess.
- גָנַבְתִּיganavti· steal
Steal. "Steal the heart" of someone is to deceive him.
- תָפַשְׂתִּיtafasti· seize, handle
Seize, take hold of, handle. Of an instrument, play it.
- שֵׁםshem· name
Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.
- אֱלֹהָeloha· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.