Ilu 30
1 Ndị a bụ okwu Agọ, nwa Jake, onye Masa, Okwu si nʼọnụ nwoke a zigaara Itiel na Ukal: “Ike agwụla m, Chineke ma a pụrụ imeri.
These are the words of Agur, son of Jakeh. An oracle. This is what the man says, God, I'm really tired, I'm worn out.
2 Nʼezie, abụ m onye nzuzu karịa mmadụ ọbụla; Enweghị m ụdị nghọta ahụ mmadụ na-enwe.
I'm so stupid I'm not really a man; I can't even think like a human being.
3 Amụtabeghị m amamihe, maọbụ ruo ịmata maka Onye Nsọ ahụ.
I have not learned wisdom; I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Olee onye na-arịgo nʼeluigwe na-arịdatakwa? Onye ka ọ bụ, bụ onye jikọtara ifufe nʼaka ya? Onye kwa weere akwa kechikọtaa osimiri niile nʼaka ya? Onye hiwere oke nsọtụ ụwa niile? Onye ka ọ bụ? Ọ bụrụ na ị ma onye ọ bụ, gịnị bụ aha ya? Gịnịkwa bụ aha nwa ya?
Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? Who holds the winds in the palm of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has set the earth's boundaries? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Are you sure you don't know?
5 “Okwu ọnụ Chineke niile bụ ihe anụchara anụcha, Ọ bụ ọta nye ndị na-agbaba nʼime ya izere ndụ.
Every word God says has been proved true. He defends everyone who comes to him for protection.
6 Atụkwasịla ihe ọbụla nʼokwu ya, ka ọ ghara ịbara gị mba, ka ị gharakwa ịghọ onye ụgha.
Don't add anything to his words, or he will criticize you and you'll be shown to be a liar.
7 “O Onyenwe anyị, naanị ihe abụọ ka m na-arịọ gị tupu m nwụọ; ajụkwala imere m ha:
God, I want to request two things from you. Please don't refuse to let me have them before I come to die.
8 Nke mbụ, mee ka okwu efu na okwu ụgha dị anya nʼebe m nọ. Nke abụọ, e nyela m ọnọdụ ogbenye maọbụ ọnọdụ ọgaranya, kama nye m naanị nri ga-ezuru m kwa ụbọchị niile.
Keep me from being false, help me not to tell lies. Don't make me poor or rich; just provide me with the food I need.
9 Nʼihi na, ọ bụrụ na m aghọọ ọgaranya, ma eleghị anya, afọ ga-eju m, jubiga m oke, ruo na m ga-asị na m achọkwaghị gị ma kwuokwa si, ‘Onye ka Onyenwe anyị bụ?’ Ọ bụrụkwa na m adaa ogbenye, ma eleghị anya, aga m ezu ohi, site nʼụzọ dị otu a, wetara aha nsọ gị Chineke, ihe ihere.
Otherwise if I have plenty of money, I may give up on you, saying, “Who is the Lord?” while if I'm poor I may steal and bring the name of my God into disrepute.
10 “Ekwujọla ohu nʼihu nna ya ukwu, ka ọ ghara ịbụ gị ọnụ, ikpe amaa gị.
Don't slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you and you'll suffer for it.
11 “Ọ dị ndị na-akọcha nna ha, ha adịghị agọzikwa nne ha;
There are some who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 Ọgbọ ndị dị ọcha nʼanya nke onwe ha ma asapụbeghị isisi nʼunyi ha ruru.
There are some who see themselves as pure but they're still filthy—they have not been washed.
13 Ọ dị ndị anya ha dị nʼelu, ndị ile anya ha jupụtara na nlelị.
There are some who think themselves so high and mighty, and who look down on others.
14 Ndị eze ha niile bụ mma agha ịkịrị eze ha bụkwa mma maka irichapụ ndị ogbenye site nʼụwa na ndị nọ nʼụkọ site nʼetiti mmadụ.
There are some who have teeth like swords, incisors like knives, ready to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from society.
15 “Etu nwere ụmụ nwanyị abụọ ndị na-eti, ‘Nye, nye.’ “Ọ dị ụzọ ihe atọ nke afọ na-adịghị eju. E, anọ dị na-adịghị asị, ‘O zuola.’
The leech has two daughters who cry out, “Give me! Give me!” There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough!”:
16 Ala ili, akpanwa nwanyị na-adịghị atụ ime, ala nke mmiri na-adịghị eju afọ, na ọkụ nke na-adịghị asị, ‘O zuola.’ (Sheol h7585)
The grave, the womb that doesn't become pregnant, the earth thirsty for water, and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
17 “Onye ahụ na-akwa nna ya emo, nke na-akpọkwa irubere nne ya isi asị, ugolọma ga-atụrụ mkpụrụ anya ya, udele ga-erikwa anụ ahụ ya.
People who ridicule their fathers and despise obedience to the mother will have their eyes pecked out by wild ravens and eaten by young vultures.
18 “Ọ dị ihe atọ na-agbagwoju m anya, apụghị m ịghọta ha; mbaa, ha dị anọ!
These three things are amazingly hard for me, four things I just can't understand:
19 Otu ugo si efegharị na mbara eluigwe; otu agwọ si akpụ nʼelu nkume, otu ụgbọ mmiri si achọta ụzọ ya nʼoke osimiri; na otu ịhụnanya si eto nʼetiti nwoke na nwaagbọghọ.
The way an eagle soars in the sky, the way a snake slides over a rock, the way a ship sails across the sea, the way a man and a woman fall in love.
20 “Nke bụ ụzọ nwanyị na-akwa iko, Ọ na-eri ma hichaa ọnụ ya, na-asị, ‘E meghị m ajọ ihe ọbụla.’
This is the way of a woman who commits adultery: she eats, she wipes her mouth, and then says, “I haven't done anything wrong!”
21 “Ọ dị ihe atọ na-eme ka ụwa maa jijiji, nʼokpuru ihe anọ nke ọ na-apụghị ịnagide,
Three things make the earth tremble, there are four things it can't support:
22 Ohu ghọrọ eze, onye nzuzu ihe na-agara nke ọma,
a slave becoming a king, a stupid person eating like a pig,
23 nwanyị obi ilu mesịrị lụta dị, na odibo nwanyị ghọrọ nwunye nna ya ukwu.
an unbearable woman getting married, and a maidservant taking her mistress's place.
24 “Ihe anọ dị nke dị nta nʼelu ụwa, ma ha maa ihe nke ukwuu.
There are four things on earth that are small, but very wise:
25 Ndanda bụ ndị na-enweghị ume, ma ha na-akpakọta nri ha, dozie nke ha ga-eri nʼoge oyi.
Ants—they're not strong, but they work hard all summer storing up food.
26 Ewi nkume bụ ndị na-adịghị ike, ma ha na-echebe onwe ha site nʼibi nʼọgba nkume.
Hyraxes—they don't have much power, but they make their homes in the rock.
27 Igurube enweghị eze, ma ha na-aga nʼigwe nʼahịrị nʼahịrị.
Locusts—they don't have a king, but they all march in line abreast.
28 Ngwere dị mfe iji aka jide ya, ma ị ga-achọta ha ọ bụladị nʼụlọ ndị eze.
Lizards—you can catch them in your hands, but they live in the king's palace.
29 “Ha dị ihe atọ na-ejegharị nʼụwa nʼọnọdụ ịdị oke ebube, mbaa, ha dị anọ:
There are three things that are glorious to watch as they walk, four that look dignified as they move:
30 Ọdụm, eze ụmụ anụmanụ. Ọ naghị atụ onye ọbụla egwu,
The lion, supreme among wild animals, who isn't frightened of anything.
31 na oke ọkụkọ na-ejegharị ejegharị, na mkpi, na eze ndị agha ya gbara gburugburu.
The strutting starling, the male goat, and a king with his army.
32 “Ọ bụrụ na i meela ihe nzuzu site nʼifuli onwe gị elu maọbụ zube nzube ọjọọ, anyala isi nʼihi ya, were aka gị kpuchie ọnụ gị nʼihere.
If you have been foolishly boasting about yourself, or if you've been planning to do something wrong, stop and put your hand over your mouth.
33 A pịaa mmiri ara ehi a na-ewepụta mmanụ ara ehi; iti mmadụ aka nʼimi na-akpata ịgba ọbara, otu a kwa ikpali iwe na-eweta ise okwu.”
Just as churning milk produces butter, and twisting someone's nose makes it bleed, so stirring up anger causes arguments.
