Mmebusɛm 30
1 Yake babarima Agur nsɛm a ɔkae a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ: Saa ɔbarima yi ka kyerɛɛ Itiel ne Ukal se:
These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.
2 “Me na minnim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, minni onipa ntease.
For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.
3 Minsuaa nyansa, na minni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
God has taught me wisdom, and I know 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 has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children?
5 “Onyankopɔn asɛm biara yɛ nokware; ɔyɛ nkatabo ma wɔn a woguan toa no.
For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him.
6 Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofo.
Add not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be made a liar.
7 “Awurade, nneɛma abien na mehwehwɛ afi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
Two things I ask of you; take not favor from me 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 falsehood: and give me not wealth [or] poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient:
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 filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear [vainly] by the name of God.
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfo din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wubetua so ka.
Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse you, and you be utterly destroyed.
11 “Nnipa bi dome wɔn agyanom, na wonhyira wɔn nanom nso;
A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother.
12 Wɔn a wɔteɛ wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so nanso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi no;
A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way.
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wobu animtiaa;
A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids.
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 wicked generation have swords [for] teeth and jaw teeth [as] knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them 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 horse-leech had three dearly beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to say, Enough.
The grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, 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 laughs to scorn a father, and dishonors the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it.
18 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛyɛ me nwonwa, anan na mente ase:
Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth 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 track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth.
20 “Ɔbea ɔwaresɛefo kwan ni: Odidi, ɔpepa nʼano na ɔka se, ‘Menyɛɛ mfomso biara.’
Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss.
21 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛma asase wosow, anan na asase ntumi nnyina ano:
By three thing the earth is troubled, and the fourth it can’t bear:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food;
23 ɔbea a wɔmpɛ no na waware, afenaa a otu nʼawuraa tena nʼanan mu.
or if a maidservant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete anan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafo ankasa:
And [there are] four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔde nketewa a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduan ano ahuhuru bere mu;
the ants which are weak, and [yet] prepare [their] food in summer;
26 Nkukuban yɛ abɔde a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afi wɔ abotan mu,
the rabbits also [are] a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks.
27 mmoadabi nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuwakuw, kɔ wɔn anim;
The locusts have no king, and [yet] march orderly at one command.
28 wotumi de nsa kyere ɔketew, nanso wohu no abirɛmpɔn ahemfi.
And the eft, which supports itself by [its] hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings.
29 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na wɔwɔ abirɛmpɔnnantew, anan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ abirɛmpɔn:
And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely.
30 gyata, mmoadoma hene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
A lion's whelp, stronger than [all other] beasts, which turns not away, nor fears [any] beast;
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafo atwa no ho ahyia.
and a cock walking in boldly among the hens, and the goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation.
32 “Sɛ woayɛ ɔkwasea ama wo ho so, anaa woadwene bɔne a, ma wʼani nwu na mua wʼano!
If you abandon yourself to mirth, and stretch forth your hand in a quarrel, you shall be disgraced.
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.”
Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if you wing [one's] nostrils there shall come out blood: so if you extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes.
