< Proverbs 30 >
1 These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.
Yake vi Agur ƒe nyagblɔɖi. Ŋutsu sia gblɔ na Itiel, kple Ukal be:
2 For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.
“Nyee tsi bome wu le amewo dome; ame ƒe nugɔmesese mele asinye o.
3 God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy.
Nyemesrɔ̃ nunya alo nya naneke le Kɔkɔetɔ la ŋu o.
4 Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children?
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 For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him.
“Kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele Mawu ƒe nya aɖeke ŋu o; enye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo sii tso.
6 Add not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be made 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 I ask of you; take not favor from me before I die.
“O Yehowa, nu evee mebia wò; mègatem hafi maku o.
8 Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth [or] poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient:
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 filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear [vainly] by the name of 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 Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse you, and you be utterly destroyed.
“Mègagblẽ dɔla ŋu na eƒe aƒetɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, ado ɖiŋu na wò eye nàkpe fu ɖe eta.
11 A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother.
“Ame aɖewo li, siwo doa ɖiŋu na wo fofowo eye womeyraa wo dadawo hã o;
12 A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way.
ame siwo dza le woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, evɔ womeklɔ ɖi si woƒo la ɖa le wo ŋuti o;
13 A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids.
ame siwo si ŋku gã le ɣe sia ɣi, eye wokpɔa ame ɖeƒomevie;
14 A wicked generation have swords [for] teeth and jaw teeth [as] knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them 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 horse-leech had three dearly beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, 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 The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, 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 laughs to scorn a father, and dishonors the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour 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 Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not:
“Nu etɔ̃ li siwo wɔ nuku nam akpa, eye nyemese enelia gɔme o:
19 the track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth.
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, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss.
“Esiae nye nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe mɔ. Eɖua nu hetutua nuto gblɔna be, ‘Nyemewɔ nu gbegblẽ aɖeke o.’
21 By three thing the earth is troubled, and the fourth it can’t bear:
“Nu etɔ̃ tee anyigba ʋuʋuna le kpekpekpe, eye le enelia te ya la, mate ŋu atsɔe o:
22 if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food;
woawoe nye, dɔla si va zu fia, bometsila si si nuɖuɖu bɔ ɖo fũu,
23 or if a maidservant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man.
ne nyɔnu si ame aɖeke melɔ̃ eƒe nya o, la ɖe srɔ̃ kple ne dɔlanyɔnu xɔ ɖe eƒe aƒenɔ teƒe.
24 And [there are] four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise:
“Nu ene le anyigba dzi le sue, gake woƒe nunya gbɔ metsɔ o:
25 the ants which are weak, and [yet] prepare [their] food in summer;
anyidiwo nye nuwɔwɔ si ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake woƒoa woƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le dzomeŋɔli;
26 the rabbits also [are] a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks.
kpetomefiwo nye lã siwo ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake wowɔa woƒe nɔƒe ɖe agakpewo tome;
27 The locusts have no king, and [yet] march orderly at one command.
Fia mele ʋetsuviwo si o, gake woƒe ha blibo la yia teƒewo le ɖoɖo me;
28 And the eft, which supports itself by [its] hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings.
woate ŋu alé adoglo kple asi, gake fiawo ƒe aƒewo mee wokpɔa wo le.
29 And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely.
“Nu etɔ̃e zɔa agozɔli eye nu enee zɔna abe fia ene:
30 A lion's whelp, stronger than [all other] beasts, which turns not away, nor fears [any] beast;
dzata si nye gã le lã wɔadãwo dome eye medoa megbefɔ le naneke gbɔ o;
31 and a cock walking in boldly among the hens, and the goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation.
koklotsu, gbɔ̃tsu, kple fia si eƒe aʋakɔwo ƒo xlãe.
32 If you abandon yourself to mirth, and stretch forth your hand in a quarrel, you shall be disgraced.
“Ne ètsi bome hedo ɖokuiwò ɖe dzi alo ɖo nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe la, tsɔ wò asi tsyɔ wò nu!
33 Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if you wing [one's] nostrils there shall come out blood: so if you extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes.
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.”