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, son of Jakeh, [even] the oracle, —The utterance of the man, for Ithiel, for Ithiel and Ucal.
2 “Me na minnim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, minni onipa ntease.
Surely, more brutish, am, I, than any man, nor doth, the understanding of a son of earth, pertain to me;
3 Minsuaa nyansa, na minni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
Neither have I learned wisdom, nor, the knowledge of the Holy Ones, can I acquire.
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 the heavens and then descended? Who hath gathered the wind into his two hands? Who hath wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who hath set up all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what the name of his son, when thou knowest?
5 “Onyankopɔn asɛm biara yɛ nokware; ɔyɛ nkatabo ma wɔn a woguan toa no.
Every saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge in him.
6 Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofo.
Do not add unto his words, lest he convict thee, and thou be found false.
7 “Awurade, nneɛma abien na mehwehwɛ afi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
Two things, have I asked of thee, withhold them not from me, ere yet I die:
8 ma me ne atoro ne nnaadaasɛm ntam nware koraa; mma mennyɛ ohiani anaa ɔdefo; nanso ma me me daa aduan nkutoo.
Vanity and falsehood, remove far from me, Neither poverty nor riches, give me, Feed me with the food appointed me:
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, and say—Who is Yahweh? or lest I be impoverished and steal, and do violence to the Name of my God.
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfo din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wubetua so ka.
Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he revile thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 “Nnipa bi dome wɔn agyanom, na wonhyira wɔn nanom nso;
A generation! Its father, it revileth, and, its mother, it doth not bless.
12 Wɔn a wɔteɛ wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so nanso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi no;
A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wobu animtiaa;
A generation! How lofty are its eyes, and its eyelashes uplifted.
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! Swords, are its teeth, and, knives, its incisors, —to devour the humbled out of 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 vampire, hath two daughters, Give! Give! Three, there are will not be satisfied, four, have not said, Enough!
Hades, and barrenness, —A land not satisfied with water, and fire, that saith not, 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 a father, and despiseth to obey a mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young of the eagle shall eat it.
18 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛyɛ me nwonwa, anan na mente ase:
Three, things there are, too difficult for me, yea, four, which I do not understand:
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 on the rock, —the way of a ship in the heart 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.’
So, is the way of a woman committing adultery, —she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no iniquity!
21 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛma asase wosow, anan na asase ntumi nnyina ano:
Under three things, a land is stirred, yea, under four, she cannot bear up:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
Under a servant, when he reigneth, and a base man, when he is surfeited with food;
23 ɔbea a wɔmpɛ no na waware, afenaa a otu nʼawuraa tena nʼanan mu.
Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete anan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafo ankasa:
Four, things there are, the small of the earth, —yet, they, are wiser than the wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔde nketewa a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduan ano ahuhuru bere mu;
The ants, a people, not strong, —yet prepare they, in summer, their food;
26 Nkukuban yɛ abɔde a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afi wɔ abotan mu,
The conies, a people of, no power, yet set they, among the crags, their house;
27 mmoadabi nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuwakuw, kɔ wɔn anim;
King, is there none, to, the locusts, —yet go forth in swarms, do they all;
28 wotumi de nsa kyere ɔketew, nanso wohu no abirɛmpɔn ahemfi.
The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold, —yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.
29 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na wɔwɔ abirɛmpɔnnantew, anan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ abirɛmpɔn:
Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:
30 gyata, mmoadoma hene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafo atwa no ho ahyia.
The greyhound, or the he-goat, —and a king, having a band of soldiers with him.
32 “Sɛ woayɛ ɔkwasea ama wo ho so, anaa woadwene bɔne a, ma wʼani nwu na mua wʼano!
If thou hast acted basely by lifting thyself up, —if thou hast plotted evil, [put thy] hand to [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.”
Surely, the pressing of milk, bringeth forth curd, and, the pressing of the nose, bringeth forth blood, and, the pressing of wrath, bringeth forth strife.
