Mmebusɛm 30
1 Yake babarima Agur nsɛm a ɔkae a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ: Saa ɔbarima yi ka kyerɛɛ Itiel ne Ukal se:
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, [even] unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2 “Me na minnim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, minni onipa ntease.
Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.
3 Minsuaa nyansa, na minni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
4 Hena na waforo akɔ ɔsoro na wasian aba fam? Hena na wabɔ mframa boa wɔ ne nsam? Hena na ɔde nʼatade abɔ nsu boa? Hena na ɔbɔɔ asase tamaa yi? Ne din de dɛn, na ne babarima nso din de dɛn? Sɛ wunim a ka kyerɛ me!
Who hath ascended up into the heavens, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a mantle? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?
5 “Onyankopɔn asɛm biara yɛ nokware; ɔyɛ nkatabo ma wɔn a woguan toa no.
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofo.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 “Awurade, nneɛma abien na mehwehwɛ afi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 ma me ne atoro ne nnaadaasɛm ntam nware koraa; mma mennyɛ ohiani anaa ɔdefo; nanso ma me me daa aduan nkutoo.
Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:
9 Anyɛ saa a, ebia minya me ho pii a ɛbɛma mapa wo na maka se, ‘Hena ne Awurade?’ Anaa mɛyɛ ohiani na mabɔ korɔn, na ama magu me Nyankopɔn din ho fi.
lest I be full and deny [thee], and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God.
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfo din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wubetua so ka.
Speak not too much about a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be held guilty.
11 “Nnipa bi dome wɔn agyanom, na wonhyira wɔn nanom nso;
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;
12 Wɔn a wɔteɛ wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so nanso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi no;
there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness;
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wobu animtiaa;
there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!
14 wɔn a wɔn se yɛ afoa na asekan hyehyɛ wɔn abogye mu wɔn na wɔbɛtɔre ahiafo ase afi asase so, na wɔayi ahiafo afi adesamma mu.
— a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jaw-teeth knives, to devour the afflicted from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.
15 “Amemem wɔ mmabea baanu a wɔteɛ mu se, ‘Fa ma! Fa ma!’ “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛmmee da anan na ɛnka da se, ‘Eye!’
The leech hath two daughters: Give, give. There are three [things] never satisfied; four which say not, It is enough:
— Sheol, and the barren womb; the earth which is not filled with water, and the fire which saith not, It is enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 “Ani a eyi agya ahi, na ebu ɛna animtiaa no, obon mu kwaakwaadabi betutu, na apete abedi.
The eye that mocketh at a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛyɛ me nwonwa, anan na mente ase:
There are three [things] too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:
19 Ɔkwan a ɔkɔre nam so wɔ wim, sɛnea ɔwɔ nantew ɔbotan so, ɔkwan a hyɛn nam so wɔ po tamaa so, ne sɛnea ɔbarima dɔ ababaa.
The way of an eagle in the heavens, 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 “Ɔbea ɔwaresɛefo kwan ni: Odidi, ɔpepa nʼano na ɔka se, ‘Menyɛɛ mfomso biara.’
Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛma asase wosow, anan na asase ntumi nnyina ano:
Under three [things] the earth is disquieted, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;
23 ɔbea a wɔmpɛ no na waware, afenaa a otu nʼawuraa tena nʼanan mu.
under an odious [woman] when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete anan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafo ankasa:
There are four [things] little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔde nketewa a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduan ano ahuhuru bere mu;
The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 Nkukuban yɛ abɔde a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afi wɔ abotan mu,
the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;
27 mmoadabi nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuwakuw, kɔ wɔn anim;
the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;
28 wotumi de nsa kyere ɔketew, nanso wohu no abirɛmpɔn ahemfi.
thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
29 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na wɔwɔ abirɛmpɔnnantew, anan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ abirɛmpɔn:
There are three [things] which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:
30 gyata, mmoadoma hene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
The lion, mighty among beasts, which turneth not away for any;
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafo atwa no ho ahyia.
a [horse] girt in the loins; or the he-goat; and a king, against whom none can rise up.
32 “Sɛ woayɛ ɔkwasea ama wo ho so, anaa woadwene bɔne a, ma wʼani nwu na mua wʼano!
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] the hand upon thy mouth.
33 Sɛnea wɔka nufusu nu mu a srade fi mu ba, na wokyinkyim hwene a etu mogya no, saa ara na abufuw de akasakasa ba.”
For the pressing of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood; and the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
