“vanitatem et verba mendacia longe fac a me ; mendicitatem et divitias ne dederis mihi : tribue tantum victui meo necessaria,”
“Remove far from me vanity and lies : give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: convenient: Heb. of my allowance”
“Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.”
“Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me;”
“Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me:”
Words, which are so opposite to thine, ver. 5. — Riches. The former often prompts men to deceive, the latter to grow proud and forget God.
7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: 8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Verses 7-9 Agur wisely prayed for a middle state, that he might be kept at a distance from temptations; he asked daily bread suited to his station, his family, and his real good. There is a remarkable similarity between this prayer and several clauses of the Lord's prayer. If we are removed from vanity and lies; if we are interested in the pardoning love of Christ, and have him for our portion; if we walk with God, then we shall have all we can ask or think, as to spiritual things. When we consider how those who have abundance are prone to abuse the gift, and what it is to suffer want, Agur's prayer will ever be found a wise one, though seldom offered. Food convenient; what is so for one, may not be so for another; but we may be sure that our heavenly Father will supply all our need, and not suffer us to want anything good for us; and why should we wish for more?