Agur the son of Jakeh, a man of ancient times who wanted to avoid the disastrous worship of false gods, recognized the dangers of materialism.

Addressing himself to the Creator of the earth, the wind and the rain, Agur said: “Two things I have asked of you.

The writer Agur asked: “Who has ascended to heaven that he may descend?

In effect, then, Agur asked: ‘Do you know the name or family line of any man who has done these things?’

¹⁰ Rather than fall victim to the deceptive power of riches, strive to adopt the viewpoint of the Bible writer Agur, who stated: “Don’t let me be too poor or too rich.

Clearly, Agur understood the protective value of money as well as the deceptive power of riches.

Only the last two chapters are attributed to other writers​—Agur the son of Jakeh and Lemuel the king.

By means of thought-provoking comparisons, the message of Agur illustrates the insatiableness of greed, and it shows how undetectable the persuasive ways of a seducer are with a maiden.b

The Bible writer Agur asked: “Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of both hands?

In effect, Agur was asking, ‘Do you know the name or family line of any man who has done these things?’

Note the words of Agur: “Every saying of God is refined.

Then Agur refers to many of the living creations of God, the large and the small.

Agur son of Jakeh wrote: “Give me neither poverty nor riches.

“Give me neither poverty nor riches,” prayed Agur.

Some of these, along with “the words of Agur” and those of “Lemuel the king,” were recorded in the Bible book of Proverbs. (Proverbs 30:1; 31:1)

Yet, one writer of the Bible book of Proverbs, Agur, expressed the balanced viewpoint when he said: “Give me neither poverty nor riches.

Agur, a wise man of ancient times, made the same point.