Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal: |
The words of – Chapters 30 and 31 do not claim Solomon for their author. R1518:2
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2 Truly *I* am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence. |
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3 I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy. |
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4 Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest? |
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5 Every word of +God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. |
Word of God is pure – However we have abundant proof that the English translation is not perfect. R52:3*
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6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. |
Add thou not – The penalty was death for the Scribe who dared alter a single word of Scripture. R52:2*
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7 Two things do I ask of thee; deny me them not before I die: |
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8 Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need: |
Give me neither – The two-talent man would have a natural advantage over the one-talent man in that he would be neither so likely to be discouraged nor to be puffed up, nor have the increased responsibility of those possessing more. R4660:1
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9 lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God. |
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10 Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty. |
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11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother; |
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12 there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness; |
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13 there is a generation, --how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up! |
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14 --a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from among men. |
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15 The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three things never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough: |
Are never satisfied – No end of capacity and can never be over-filled. E368
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16 --Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. |
The grave – Sheol, oblivion, death. R2600:2; E368
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17 The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. |
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18 There are three things too wonderful for me, and four that I know not: |
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19 The way of an eagle in the heavens, 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. |
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20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. |
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21 Under three things the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up: |
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22 Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat; |
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23 under an odious woman when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress. |
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24 There are four things little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise: |
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25 The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; |
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26 the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff; |
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27 the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands; |
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28 thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces. |
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29 There are three things which have a stately step, and four are comely in going: |
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30 The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any; |
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31 a horse girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up. |
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32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay the hand upon thy mouth. |
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33 For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife. |
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