Lododowo 30
1 Yake vi Agur ƒe nyagblɔɖi. Ŋutsu sia gblɔ na Itiel, kple Ukal be:
Words of a Gatherer, son of an obedient one, the declaration, an affirmation of the man: — I have wearied myself [for] God, I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed.
2 “Nyee tsi bome wu le amewo dome; ame ƒe nugɔmesese mele asinye o.
For I am more brutish than any one, And have not the understanding of a man.
3 Nyemesrɔ̃ nunya alo nya naneke le Kɔkɔetɔ la ŋu o.
Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet the knowledge of Holy Ones I know.
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 went up to heaven, and cometh down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His name? and what His son's name? Surely thou knowest!
5 “Kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele Mawu ƒe nya aɖeke ŋu o; enye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo sii tso.
Every saying of God [is] tried, A shield He [is] to those trusting in Him.
6 Mègatsɔ nya kpe eƒe nyawo o, ne menye nenema o la, aka mo na wò eye woakpɔe be ènye alakpatɔ.
Add not to His words, lest He reason with thee, And thou hast been found false.
7 “O Yehowa, nu evee mebia wò; mègatem hafi maku o.
Two things I have asked from Thee, Withhold not from 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 a lying word put far from me, Poverty or wealth give not to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
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 satiated, and have denied, And have said, 'Who [is] Jehovah?' And lest I be poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of 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.
Accuse not a servant unto his lord, Lest he disesteem thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 “Ame aɖewo li, siwo doa ɖiŋu na wo fofowo eye womeyraa wo dadawo hã o;
A generation [is], that lightly esteemeth their father, And their mother 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 their own eyes, But from their own filth not washed.
13 ame siwo si ŋku gã le ɣe sia ɣi, eye wokpɔa ame ɖeƒomevie;
A generation — how high are their eyes, Yea, 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 — swords [are] their teeth, And knives — their jaw-teeth, To consume the poor from 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:
To the leech [are] two daughters, 'Give, give, Lo, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said 'Sufficiency;'
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 a restrained womb, Earth — it [is] not satisfied [with] water, And fire — it hath not said, 'Sufficiency,' (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.
An eye that mocketh at a father, And despiseth to obey a mother, Dig it out do ravens of the valley, And eat it do young eagles.
18 “Nu etɔ̃ li siwo wɔ nuku nam akpa, eye nyemese enelia gɔme o:
Three things have been too wonderful for me, Yea, four that I have not known:
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 heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart of the sea, And the way of a man in youth.
20 “Esiae nye nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe mɔ. Eɖua nu hetutua nuto gblɔna be, ‘Nyemewɔ nu gbegblẽ aɖeke o.’
So — the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, 'I have not done iniquity.'
21 “Nu etɔ̃ tee anyigba ʋuʋuna le kpekpekpe, eye le enelia te ya la, mate ŋu atsɔe o:
For three things hath earth been troubled, And for four — it is not able to 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 satisfied with bread,
23 ne nyɔnu si ame aɖeke melɔ̃ eƒe nya o, la ɖe srɔ̃ kple ne dɔlanyɔnu xɔ ɖe eƒe aƒenɔ teƒe.
For a hated one when she ruleth, And a maid-servant when she succeedeth her mistress.
24 “Nu ene le anyigba dzi le sue, gake woƒe nunya gbɔ metsɔ o:
Four [are] little ones of earth, And they are made 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 [are] a people not strong, And they prepare in summer their food,
26 kpetomefiwo nye lã siwo ŋu ŋusẽ sue aɖe ko le, gake wowɔa woƒe nɔƒe ɖe agakpewo tome;
Conies [are] a people not strong, And they place in a rock their house,
27 Fia mele ʋetsuviwo si o, gake woƒe ha blibo la yia teƒewo le ɖoɖo me;
A king there is not to the locust, And it goeth out — each one shouting,
28 woate ŋu alé adoglo kple asi, gake fiawo ƒe aƒewo mee wokpɔa wo le.
A spider with two hands taketh hold, And is in the palaces of a king.
29 “Nu etɔ̃e zɔa agozɔli eye nu enee zɔna abe fia ene:
Three there are going well, Yea, four are good in going:
30 dzata si nye gã le lã wɔadãwo dome eye medoa megbefɔ le naneke gbɔ o;
An old lion — mighty among beasts, That turneth not back from the face of any,
31 koklotsu, gbɔ̃tsu, kple fia si eƒe aʋakɔwo ƒo xlãe.
A girt one of the loins, or a he-goat, And a king — no rising up 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 been foolish in lifting up thyself, And if thou hast devised evil — hand to 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 churning of milk bringeth out butter, And the wringing of the nose bringeth out blood, And the forcing of anger bringeth out strife!
