Lododowo 30
1 Yake vi Agur ƒe nyagblɔɖi. Ŋutsu sia gblɔ na Itiel, kple Ukal be:
The words of Agur, son of Jakeh, [even] the oracle, —The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for Ithiel and Ucal.
2 “Nyee tsi bome wu le amewo dome; ame ƒe nugɔmesese mele asinye o.
Surely, more brutish, am, I, than any man, nor doth, the understanding of a son of earth, pertain to me;
3 Nyemesrɔ̃ nunya alo nya naneke le Kɔkɔetɔ la ŋu o.
Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.
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 the heavens and then descended? Who hath gathered the wind into his two hands? Who hath wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who hath set up all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what the name of his son, when thou knowest?
5 “Kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele Mawu ƒe nya aɖeke ŋu o; enye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo sii tso.
Every saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge 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 unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou be found false.
7 “O Yehowa, nu evee mebia wò; mègatem hafi maku o.
Two things, have I asked of thee, withhold them not from me, ere yet 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 falsehood, remove far from me, Neither poverty nor riches, give me, Feed me with the food appointed 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 be full, and deny, and say—Who is Yahweh? or lest I be impoverished and steal, and do violence to 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 slander a servant to his master, lest he revile thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 “Ame aɖewo li, siwo doa ɖiŋu na wo fofowo eye womeyraa wo dadawo hã o;
A generation! Its father, it revileth, and, its mother, it doth not bless.
12 ame siwo dza le woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, evɔ womeklɔ ɖi si woƒo la ɖa le wo ŋuti o;
A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,
13 ame siwo si ŋku gã le ɣe sia ɣi, eye wokpɔa ame ɖeƒomevie;
A generation! How lofty are its eyes, and its eyelashes uplifted.
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! Swords, are its teeth, and, knives, its incisors, —to devour the humbled out of 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 vampire, hath two daughters, Give! Give! Three, there are will not be satisfied, four, have not said, 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)
Hades, and barrenness, —A land not satisfied with water, and fire, that saith not, 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 a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young of the eagle shall eat it.
18 “Nu etɔ̃ li siwo wɔ nuku nam akpa, eye nyemese enelia gɔme o:
Three, things there are, too difficult for me, yea, four, which I do not understand:
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 on the rock, —the way of a ship in the heart 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.’
So, is the way of a woman committing adultery, —she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no iniquity!
21 “Nu etɔ̃ tee anyigba ʋuʋuna le kpekpekpe, eye le enelia te ya la, mate ŋu atsɔe o:
Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she 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 base man, when he is surfeited with food;
23 ne nyɔnu si ame aɖeke melɔ̃ eƒe nya o, la ɖe srɔ̃ kple ne dɔlanyɔnu xɔ ɖe eƒe aƒenɔ teƒe.
Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.
24 “Nu ene le anyigba dzi le sue, gake woƒe nunya gbɔ metsɔ o:
Four, things there are, the small of the earth, —yet, they, are wiser than the 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 prepare they, in summer, their food;
26 kpetomefiwo nye lã siwo ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake wowɔa woƒe nɔƒe ɖe agakpewo tome;
The conies, a people of, no power, yet set they, among the crags, their house;
27 Fia mele ʋetsuviwo si o, gake woƒe ha blibo la yia teƒewo le ɖoɖo me;
King, is there none, to, the locusts, —yet go forth in swarms, do they all;
28 woate ŋu alé adoglo kple asi, gake fiawo ƒe aƒewo mee wokpɔa wo le.
The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold, —yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.
29 “Nu etɔ̃e zɔa agozɔli eye nu enee zɔna abe fia ene:
Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:
30 dzata si nye gã le lã wɔadãwo dome eye medoa megbefɔ le naneke gbɔ o;
The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;
31 koklotsu, gbɔ̃tsu, kple fia si eƒe aʋakɔwo ƒo xlãe.
The greyhound, or the he-goat, —and a king, having a band of soldiers with him.
32 “Ne ètsi bome hedo ɖokuiwò ɖe dzi alo ɖo nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe la, tsɔ wò asi tsyɔ wò nu!
If thou hast acted basely by lifting thyself up, —if thou hast plotted 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.”
Surely, the pressing of milk, bringeth forth curd, and, the pressing of the nose, bringeth forth blood, and, the pressing of wrath, bringeth forth strife.
