< Proverbs 30 >
1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, [even] unto Ithiel and Ucal:
Yake vi Agur ƒe nyagblɔɖi. Ŋutsu sia gblɔ na Itiel, kple Ukal be:
2 Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.
“Nyee tsi bome wu le amewo dome; ame ƒe nugɔmesese mele asinye o.
3 I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
Nyemesrɔ̃ nunya alo nya naneke le Kɔkɔetɔ la ŋu o.
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?
Ame kae lia yi dziƒo gagbɔ kpɔ? Ame kae lɔ ya ɖe eƒe asiƒome? Ame kae bla tsiwo katã ɖe eƒe awu ʋlaya me? Ame kae ɖo anyigba ƒe mlɔenu ke anyi? Eŋkɔ ɖe, via ŋkɔ ɖe? Gblɔe nam, ne ènyae!
5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
“Kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele Mawu ƒe nya aɖeke ŋu o; enye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo sii tso.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Mègatsɔ nya kpe eƒe nyawo o, ne menye nenema o la, aka mo na wò eye woakpɔe be ènye alakpatɔ.
7 Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
“O Yehowa, nu evee mebia wò; mègatem hafi maku o.
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
Te aʋatsokaka kple alakpa ɖa xaa tso gbɔnye, mègatsɔ ahedada alo hotsuikpɔkpɔ nam o, ke boŋ na nye gbe sia gbe ƒe abolo kom.
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.
Ne menye nenema o la, mava ɖi ƒo akpa, agbe nu le gbɔwò ahabia be, ‘Ame kae nye Yehowa?’ Alo mada ahe akpa, afi fi.
10 Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
“Mègagblẽ dɔla ŋu na eƒe aƒetɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, ado ɖiŋu na wò eye nàkpe fu ɖe eta.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;
“Ame aɖewo li, siwo doa ɖiŋu na wo fofowo eye womeyraa wo dadawo hã o;
12 there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;
ame siwo dza le woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, evɔ womeklɔ ɖi si woƒo la ɖa le wo ŋuti o;
13 there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!
ame siwo si ŋku gã le ɣe sia ɣi, eye wokpɔa ame ɖeƒomevie;
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.
ame siwo ƒe aɖu le abe yi ene eye woƒe glãwo le abe hɛ ɖaɖɛwo ene, ne woavuvu ame dahewo le anyigba dzi eye woaɖe hiãtɔwo ɖa le amegbetɔwo dome.
15 The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three [things] never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:
“Vinyɔnu eve le axɔ̃ si, wole avi fam be, ‘Nam! Nam!’ “Nu etɔ̃ li siwo nu meɖia ƒo na gbeɖe o, eye enelia megblɔna be, ‘Enyo gbɔ!’ o:
16 — Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. (Sheol )
woawoe nye, yɔdo, vidzidɔ si tsi ko, anyigba si tsi meɖia kɔ na o, kple dzo si megblɔna gbeɖe be, ‘Enyo gbɔ!’ o. (Sheol )
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.
“Ŋku si ɖua fewu le fofoa ŋu, eye wòdoa vlo bubudede dadaa ŋu la, balime ƒe akpaviãwo ahoe le etome, eye akagawo aɖui.
18 There are three [things] too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:
“Nu etɔ̃ li siwo wɔ nuku nam akpa, eye nyemese enelia gɔme o:
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.
hɔ̃ ƒe mɔ le yame, da ƒe mɔ le agakpe dzi, tɔdziʋu ƒe mɔ le atsiaƒuwo dzi kple ŋutsu ƒe mɔ le ɖetugbi gbɔ.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
“Esiae nye nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe mɔ. Eɖua nu hetutua nuto gblɔna be, ‘Nyemewɔ nu gbegblẽ aɖeke o.’
21 Under three [things] the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:
“Nu etɔ̃ tee anyigba ʋuʋuna le kpekpekpe, eye le enelia te ya la, mate ŋu atsɔe o:
22 Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;
woawoe nye, dɔla si va zu fia, bometsila si si nuɖuɖu bɔ ɖo fũu,
23 under an odious [woman] when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
ne nyɔnu si ame aɖeke melɔ̃ eƒe nya o, la ɖe srɔ̃ kple ne dɔlanyɔnu xɔ ɖe eƒe aƒenɔ teƒe.
24 There are four [things] little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:
“Nu ene le anyigba dzi le sue, gake woƒe nunya gbɔ metsɔ o:
25 The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
anyidiwo nye nuwɔwɔ si ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake woƒoa woƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le dzomeŋɔli;
26 the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;
kpetomefiwo nye lã siwo ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake wowɔa woƒe nɔƒe ɖe agakpewo tome;
27 the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;
Fia mele ʋetsuviwo si o, gake woƒe ha blibo la yia teƒewo le ɖoɖo me;
28 thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
woate ŋu alé adoglo kple asi, gake fiawo ƒe aƒewo mee wokpɔa wo le.
29 There are three [things] which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:
“Nu etɔ̃e zɔa agozɔli eye nu enee zɔna abe fia ene:
30 The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;
dzata si nye gã le lã wɔadãwo dome eye medoa megbefɔ le naneke gbɔ o;
31 a [horse] girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.
koklotsu, gbɔ̃tsu, kple fia si eƒe aʋakɔwo ƒo xlãe.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] the hand upon thy mouth.
“Ne ètsi bome hedo ɖokuiwò ɖe dzi alo ɖo nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe la, tsɔ wò asi tsyɔ wò nu!
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.
Elabena abe ale si ne woƒo nyinotsi wòzua bɔta eye ne wofia ŋɔti ʋu dona ene la, nenema kee ne wode dzo dziku me la, dzre dzɔna.”