Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
Yake vi Agur ƒe nyagblɔɖi. Ŋutsu sia gblɔ na Itiel, kple Ukal be:
2 Surely I am more like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
“Nyee tsi bome wu le amewo dome; ame ƒe nugɔmesese mele asinye o.
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
Nyemesrɔ̃ nunya alo nya naneke le Kɔkɔetɔ la ŋu o.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has gathered up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
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 tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
“Kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele Mawu ƒe nya aɖeke ŋu o; enye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo sii tso.
6 Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be 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, do not withhold them from me before I die:
“O Yehowa, nu evee mebia wò; mègatem hafi maku o.
8 Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I 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 For if I have too much, I might deny you and say, “Who is Yahweh?” Or if I become poor, I might steal and profane 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 Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will 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 curses their father and does 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 is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
ame siwo dza le woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, evɔ womeklɔ ɖi si woƒo la ɖa le wo ŋuti o;
13 There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!
ame siwo si ŋku gã le ɣe sia ɣi, eye wokpɔa ame ɖeƒomevie;
14 There is a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jawbones are like knives, so they may devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
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 has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never 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 Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
woawoe nye, yɔdo, vidzidɔ si tsi ko, anyigba si tsi meɖia kɔ na o, kple dzo si megblɔna gbeɖe be, ‘Enyo gbɔ!’ o. (Sheol h7585)
17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, his eyes will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, and he will be eaten by the vultures.
“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 that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
“Nu etɔ̃ li siwo wɔ nuku nam akpa, eye nyemese enelia gɔme o:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
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 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
“Esiae nye nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe mɔ. Eɖua nu hetutua nuto gblɔna be, ‘Nyemewɔ nu gbegblẽ aɖeke o.’
21 Under three things the earth trembles, 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 a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
woawoe nye, dɔla si va zu fia, bometsila si si nuɖuɖu bɔ ɖo fũu,
23 a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
ne nyɔnu si ame aɖeke melɔ̃ eƒe nya o, la ɖe srɔ̃ kple ne dɔlanyɔnu xɔ ɖe eƒe aƒenɔ teƒe.
24 Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
“Nu ene le anyigba dzi le sue, gake woƒe nunya gbɔ metsɔ o:
25 the ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare 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 not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
kpetomefiwo nye lã siwo ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake wowɔa woƒe nɔƒe ɖe agakpewo tome;
27 Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
Fia mele ʋetsuviwo si o, gake woƒe ha blibo la yia teƒewo le ɖoɖo me;
28 As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
woate ŋu alé adoglo kple asi, gake fiawo ƒe aƒewo mee wokpɔa wo le.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
“Nu etɔ̃e zɔa agozɔli eye nu enee zɔna abe fia ene:
30 a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
dzata si nye gã le lã wɔadãwo dome eye medoa megbefɔ le naneke gbɔ o;
31 a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
koklotsu, gbɔ̃tsu, kple fia si eƒe aʋakɔwo ƒo xlãe.
32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.
“Ne ètsi bome hedo ɖokuiwò ɖe dzi alo ɖo nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe la, tsɔ wò asi tsyɔ wò nu!
33 As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.
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.”
