Lododowo 30
1 Yake vi Agur ƒe nyagblɔɖi. Ŋutsu sia gblɔ na Itiel, kple Ukal be:
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, [even] unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2 “Nyee tsi bome wu le amewo dome; ame ƒe nugɔmesese mele asinye o.
Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.
3 Nyemesrɔ̃ nunya alo nya naneke le Kɔkɔetɔ la ŋu o.
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
4 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!
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?
5 “Kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele Mawu ƒe nya aɖeke ŋu o; enye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo sii tso.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Mègatsɔ nya kpe eƒe nyawo o, ne menye nenema o la, aka mo na wò eye woakpɔe be ènye alakpatɔ.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 “O Yehowa, nu evee mebia wò; mègatem hafi maku o.
Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 Te aʋatsokaka kple alakpa ɖa xaa tso gbɔnye, mègatsɔ ahedada alo hotsuikpɔkpɔ nam o, ke boŋ na nye gbe sia gbe ƒe abolo kom.
Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
9 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.
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.
10 “Mègagblẽ dɔla ŋu na eƒe aƒetɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, ado ɖiŋu na wò eye nàkpe fu ɖe eta.
Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 “Ame aɖewo li, siwo doa ɖiŋu na wo fofowo eye womeyraa wo dadawo hã o;
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;
12 ame siwo dza le woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, evɔ womeklɔ ɖi si woƒo la ɖa le wo ŋuti o;
there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;
13 ame siwo si ŋku gã le ɣe sia ɣi, eye wokpɔa ame ɖeƒomevie;
there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!
14 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.
— 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.
15 “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:
The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three [things] never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:
16 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)
— Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 “Ŋku si ɖua fewu le fofoa ŋu, eye wòdoa vlo bubudede dadaa ŋu la, balime ƒe akpaviãwo ahoe le etome, eye akagawo aɖui.
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.
18 “Nu etɔ̃ li siwo wɔ nuku nam akpa, eye nyemese enelia gɔme o:
There are three [things] too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:
19 hɔ̃ ƒe mɔ le yame, da ƒe mɔ le agakpe dzi, tɔdziʋu ƒe mɔ le atsiaƒuwo dzi kple ŋutsu ƒe mɔ le ɖetugbi gbɔ.
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.
20 “Esiae nye nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe mɔ. Eɖua nu hetutua nuto gblɔna be, ‘Nyemewɔ nu gbegblẽ aɖeke o.’
Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 “Nu etɔ̃ tee anyigba ʋuʋuna le kpekpekpe, eye le enelia te ya la, mate ŋu atsɔe o:
Under three [things] the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 woawoe nye, dɔla si va zu fia, bometsila si si nuɖuɖu bɔ ɖo fũu,
Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;
23 ne nyɔnu si ame aɖeke melɔ̃ eƒe nya o, la ɖe srɔ̃ kple ne dɔlanyɔnu xɔ ɖe eƒe aƒenɔ teƒe.
under an odious [woman] when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
24 “Nu ene le anyigba dzi le sue, gake woƒe nunya gbɔ metsɔ o:
There are four [things] little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:
25 anyidiwo nye nuwɔwɔ si ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake woƒoa woƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le dzomeŋɔli;
The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 kpetomefiwo nye lã siwo ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake wowɔa woƒe nɔƒe ɖe agakpewo tome;
the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;
27 Fia mele ʋetsuviwo si o, gake woƒe ha blibo la yia teƒewo le ɖoɖo me;
the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;
28 woate ŋu alé adoglo kple asi, gake fiawo ƒe aƒewo mee wokpɔa wo le.
thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
29 “Nu etɔ̃e zɔa agozɔli eye nu enee zɔna abe fia ene:
There are three [things] which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:
30 dzata si nye gã le lã wɔadãwo dome eye medoa megbefɔ le naneke gbɔ o;
The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;
31 koklotsu, gbɔ̃tsu, kple fia si eƒe aʋakɔwo ƒo xlãe.
a [horse] girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.
32 “Ne ètsi bome hedo ɖokuiwò ɖe dzi alo ɖo nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe la, tsɔ wò asi tsyɔ wò nu!
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] the hand upon thy mouth.
33 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.”
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.
