Proverbs 30
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
Yake babarima Agur nsɛm a ɔkaeɛ a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ: Saa ɔbarima yi ka kyerɛɛ Itiel ne Ukal sɛ:
2 Surely I am more like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
“Me na mennim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, menni onipa nteaseɛ.
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
Mensuaa nyansa, na menni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
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!
Hwan na waforo akɔ soro na wasiane aba fam? Hwan na wabɔ mframa boa wɔ ne nsa mu? Hwan na ɔde nʼatadeɛ abɔ nsuo boa? Hwan na ɔbɔɔ asase hahanaa yi? Ne din de sɛn, na ne ba barima nso din de sɛn? Sɛ wonim a ka kyerɛ me!
5 Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
“Onyankopɔn asɛm biara yɛ nokorɛ; ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔdwane toa no.
6 Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.
Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofoɔ.
7 Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me before I die:
“Ao Awurade, nneɛma mmienu na mehwehwɛ firi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
8 Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.
Yi atorɔ ne ahohwisɛm firi me mu; mma mennyɛ ohiani anaa ɔdefoɔ; nanso ma me deɛ medi daa.
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.
Anyɛ saa a, ebia menya me ho pii ama mapa wo na maka sɛ, ‘Hwan ne Awurade?’ Anaa mɛyɛ ohiani na mabɔ korɔno, na ama magu me Onyankopɔn din ho fi.
10 Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.
“Nsɛe ɔsomfoɔ din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wobɛtua so ka.
11 There is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.
“Nnipa bi dome wɔn agyanom, na wɔnnhyira wɔn maamenom nso;
12 There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
Wɔn a wɔtene wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so a ɛnso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi;
13 There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!
wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wɔbu animtiaa;
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.
wɔn a wɔn se yɛ akofena na sekammoa hyehyɛ wɔn apantan wɔn na wɔbɛtɔre ahiafoɔ ase afiri asase so, na woayi onibie afiri adasamma mu.
15 The leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough”:
“Amemem wɔ mmammaa mmienu a wɔteam sɛ, ‘Fa ma me! Fa ma me.’ “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛmmee da. Dabi, nneɛma ɛnan wɔ hɔ a ɛnka da sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ!’
16 Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
Damena, obonini awotwaa, asase a ɛyɛ wesee daa, ne ogya a ɛnka da sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ!’ (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.
“Ani a ɛyi agya ahi, na ɛbu ɛna animtia no, bɔnhwa ho anene bɛtutu, na apete abɛdi.
18 There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
“Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛyɛ me nwanwa, ɛnan na mente aseɛ:
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.
Ɛkwan a ɔkɔdeɛ nam so wɔ ewiem, sɛdeɛ ɔwɔ nante ɔbotan so, ɛkwan a ɛhyɛn nam so wɔ ɛpo hahanaa so, ne sɛdeɛ ɔbarima dɔ ababaawa.
20 This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
“Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ ɛkwan nie: Ɔdidi, ɔpepa nʼano na ɔka sɛ, ‘Menyɛɛ mfomsoɔ biara.’
21 Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
“Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛma asase woso, ɛnan na asase ɛntumi nnyina ano:
22 a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
23 a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
ɔbaa a wɔmmpɛ no na wawareɛ, afenaa a ɔtu nʼawurakwaa tena nʼanan mu.
24 Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
“Nneɛma nketenkete ɛnan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafoɔ ankasa:
25 the ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;
Ntɛtea yɛ abɔdeɛ nketewa a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduane ano ahuhuro berɛ mu;
26 the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
Nkukuban—yɛ abɔdeɛ a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afie wɔ abotan mu,
27 Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
ntutummɛ nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuakuo, kɔ wɔn anim;
28 As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
wɔtumi de nsa kyere ɔkoterɛ, nanso wɔhunu no aberempɔn ahemfie.
29 There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
“Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na wɔwɔ aberempɔn nanteɛ, ɛnan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ aberempɔn:
30 a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
gyata, mmoadoma ɔhene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
31 a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia.
32 If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.
“Sɛ woayɛ ɔkwasea ama wo ho so, anaa woadwene bɔne a, ma wʼani nwu na mua wʼano!
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.
Sɛdeɛ wɔka nufosuo nu mu a sradeɛ firi mu ba na wɔkyinkyim hwene a ɛtu mogya no, saa ara na abufuo de akasakasa ba.”
