Lododowo 30
1 Yake vi Agur ƒe nyagblɔɖi. Ŋutsu sia gblɔ na Itiel, kple Ukal be:
The words of Agur the son of Yakeh, even the prophecy: the man said unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ukkal,
2 “Nyee tsi bome wu le amewo dome; ame ƒe nugɔmesese mele asinye o.
“Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a common man.
3 Nyemesrɔ̃ nunya alo nya naneke le Kɔkɔetɔ la ŋu o.
Nor have I learned wisdom, so that I should have knowledge of the Holy One.
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 was it that ascended into heaven, and came down again? who gathered the wind in his fists? who bound the waters in a garment? who set up all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest it?”
5 “Kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele Mawu ƒe nya aɖeke ŋu o; enye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo sii tso.
Every saying of God is purified: he is a shield unto those 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.
Do not add aught 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 request of thee: deny them not to me 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.
Vanity and lying words do thou remove far from me: neither poverty nor riches give thou unto me; let me eat the bread appointed unto me:
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 become over-full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I become poor, and steal, and trespass against 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.
Do not calumniate a servant unto his master: lest he curse thee, and thou incur guilt.
11 “Ame aɖewo li, siwo doa ɖiŋu na wo fofowo eye womeyraa wo dadawo hã o;
There is a generation that curseth its father, and doth not bless its 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 is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed [clean] of its filthiness.
13 ame siwo si ŋku gã le ɣe sia ɣi, eye wokpɔa ame ɖeƒomevie;
There is a generation—O how lofty are its eyes! and its eyelids are so 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.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and whose string teeth are as knives, to devour the poor 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:
Insatiability hath two daughters, [crying, ] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things which never say, 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)
The nether world; and a barren womb; the earth which is not satisfied with water; and the fire which never saith, 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 his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, this shall the ravens of the valley pick out; and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 “Nu etɔ̃ li siwo wɔ nuku nam akpa, eye nyemese enelia gɔme o:
Three things there are which are too wonderful for me; and four, which 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 the eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
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 wrong.
21 “Nu etɔ̃ tee anyigba ʋuʋuna le kpekpekpe, eye le enelia te ya la, mate ŋu atsɔe o:
Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:
22 woawoe nye, dɔla si va zu fia, bometsila si si nuɖuɖu bɔ ɖo fũu,
Under a servant when he becometh king, and a worthless fool when he hath eaten enough bread;
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 bond-woman when she dispossesseth her mistress.
24 “Nu ene le anyigba dzi le sue, gake woƒe nunya gbɔ metsɔ o:
There are four which are the little ones of the earth, and they are nevertheless exceedingly wise:
25 anyidiwo nye nuwɔwɔ si ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake woƒoa woƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le dzomeŋɔli;
The ants are a people not strong, therefore do they prepare in the summer their food;
26 kpetomefiwo nye lã siwo ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake wowɔa woƒe nɔƒe ɖe agakpewo tome;
The conies are but a feeble people, therefore do they place on the rocks their houses;
27 Fia mele ʋetsuviwo si o, gake woƒe ha blibo la yia teƒewo le ɖoɖo me;
The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth in troops altogether;
28 woate ŋu alé adoglo kple asi, gake fiawo ƒe aƒewo mee wokpɔa wo le.
The spider thou canst catch with [thy] hands, and yet she is in the palaces of a king.
29 “Nu etɔ̃e zɔa agozɔli eye nu enee zɔna abe fia ene:
Three there are that have a stately step, and four, that are stately in going:
30 dzata si nye gã le lã wɔadãwo dome eye medoa megbefɔ le naneke gbɔ o;
The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;
31 koklotsu, gbɔ̃tsu, kple fia si eƒe aʋakɔwo ƒo xlãe.
The light-legged greyhound, and the he-goat; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 “Ne ètsi bome hedo ɖokuiwò ɖe dzi alo ɖo nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe la, tsɔ wò asi tsyɔ wò nu!
If thou hast become degraded by lifting up thyself, or if thou hast devised evil, put thy hand to 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 pressure of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife.
