Lododowo 30
1 Yake vi Agur ƒe nyagblɔɖi. Ŋutsu sia gblɔ na Itiel, kple Ukal be:
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,
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 man.
3 Nyemesrɔ̃ nunya alo nya naneke le Kɔkɔetɔ la ŋu o.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have 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 into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?
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 to 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 to 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] have I required 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.
Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for 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 [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].
10 “Mègagblẽ dɔla ŋu na eƒe aƒetɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, ado ɖiŋu na wò eye nàkpe fu ɖe eta.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found 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, and [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, O how lofty are their eyes! and 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.
[There is] a generation, whose teeth [are as] swords, and their jaw-teeth [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:
The horse-leech hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yes], four [things] 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)
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] 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 [its] father, and despiseth to obey [its] 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 which] are too wonderful for me, yes, 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 an eagle in the air; 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:
For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:
22 woawoe nye, dɔla si va zu fia, bometsila si si nuɖuɖu bɔ ɖo fũu,
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with food.
23 ne nyɔnu si ame aɖeke melɔ̃ eƒe nya o, la ɖe srɔ̃ kple ne dɔlanyɔnu xɔ ɖe eƒe aƒenɔ teƒe.
For an odious [woman] when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 “Nu ene le anyigba dzi le sue, gake woƒe nunya gbɔ metsɔ o:
There are four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] very 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, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
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, yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 Fia mele ʋetsuviwo si o, gake woƒe ha blibo la yia teƒewo le ɖoɖo me;
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 woate ŋu alé adoglo kple asi, gake fiawo ƒe aƒewo mee wokpɔa wo le.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king's palaces.
29 “Nu etɔ̃e zɔa agozɔli eye nu enee zɔna abe fia ene:
There are three [things] which go well, yes, four are comely in going:
30 dzata si nye gã le lã wɔadãwo dome eye medoa megbefɔ le naneke gbɔ o;
A lion, [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 koklotsu, gbɔ̃tsu, kple fia si eƒe aʋakɔwo ƒo xlãe.
A greyhound; a he-goat also; 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 done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thy 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.”
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
