Proverbs 30:8

Remove falsehood and lies ¹  far from me; do not give me poverty or riches, feed me with my allotted portion ²  of bread, ³ 

Ge 28:20; Ge 48:15,16; Ex 16:15,18,21,22,29,35; 2Ki 25:30; Ps 62:9,10; Ps 119:29,37; Pr 21:6; Pr 22:8; Pr 23:5; Ec 1:2; Isa 5:18; Isa 59:4; Jer 37:21; Jer 52:34; Mt 6:11,33; Lu 11:3; Joh 2:8; Ac 14:15; 1Ti 6:6-8

¹ tn The two words might form a hendiadys: “falsehood and lies” being equivalent to “complete deception.” The word שָׁוְא means “false; empty; vain; to a false purpose.” The second word means “word of lying,” thus “a lying word.” Taken separately they might refer to false intentions and false words.

² tn The word חֹק (khoq) means “statute”; it is also used of a definite assignment in labor (Exod 5:14; Prov 31:15), or of a set portion of food (Gen 47:22). Here it refers to food that is the proper proportion for the speaker.

³ sn Agur requested an honest life (not deceitful) and a balanced life (not self-sufficient). The second request about his provision is clarified in v. 9.