Mmɛbusɛm 30
1 Yake babarima Agur nsɛm a ɔkaeɛ a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ: Saa ɔbarima yi ka kyerɛɛ Itiel ne Ukal sɛ:
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh; the prophecy uttered by the man unto Ithiel, [even] unto Ithiel and Ucal:
2 “Me na mennim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, menni onipa nteaseɛ.
Truly I am more stupid than any one; and I have not a man's intelligence.
3 Mensuaa nyansa, na menni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
I have neither learned wisdom, nor have I the knowledge of the Holy.
4 Hwan na waforo akɔ soro na wasiane aba fam? Hwan na wabɔ mframa boa wɔ ne nsa mu? Hwan na ɔde nʼatadeɛ abɔ nsuo boa? Hwan na ɔbɔɔ asase hahanaa yi? Ne din de sɛn, na ne ba barima nso din de sɛn? Sɛ wonim 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 nokorɛ; ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔdwane 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 ɔtorofoɔ.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 “Ao Awurade, nneɛma mmienu na mehwehwɛ firi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
Two things do I ask of thee; deny me [them] not before I die:
8 Yi atorɔ ne ahohwisɛm firi me mu; mma mennyɛ ohiani anaa ɔdefoɔ; nanso ma me deɛ medi daa.
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 menya me ho pii ama mapa wo na maka sɛ, ‘Hwan ne Awurade?’ Anaa mɛyɛ ohiani na mabɔ korɔno, na ama magu me Onyankopɔn 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 ɔsomfoɔ din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wobɛtua 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 wɔnnhyira wɔn maamenom nso;
There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother;
12 Wɔn a wɔtene wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so a ɛnso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi;
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 wɔbu animtiaa;
there is a generation, — how lofty are their eyes, how their eyelids are lifted up!
14 wɔn a wɔn se yɛ akofena na sekammoa hyehyɛ wɔn apantan wɔn na wɔbɛtɔre ahiafoɔ ase afiri asase so, na woayi onibie afiri adasamma 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 mmammaa mmienu a wɔteam sɛ, ‘Fa ma me! Fa ma me.’ “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛmmee da. Dabi, nneɛma ɛnan wɔ hɔ a ɛnka da sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ!’
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 ɛyi agya ahi, na ɛbu ɛna animtia no, bɔnhwa ho anene bɛtutu, na apete abɛdi.
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 mmiɛnsa na ɛyɛ me nwanwa, ɛnan na mente aseɛ:
There are three [things] too wonderful for me, and four that I know not:
19 Ɛkwan a ɔkɔdeɛ nam so wɔ ewiem, sɛdeɛ ɔwɔ nante ɔbotan so, ɛkwan a ɛhyɛn nam so wɔ ɛpo hahanaa so, ne sɛdeɛ ɔbarima dɔ ababaawa.
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 “Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ ɛkwan nie: Ɔdidi, ɔpepa nʼano na ɔka sɛ, ‘Menyɛɛ mfomsoɔ biara.’
Such is the way of an adulterous woman: she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛma asase woso, ɛnan na asase ɛntumi 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 ɔbaa a wɔmmpɛ no na wawareɛ, afenaa a ɔtu nʼawurakwaa tena nʼanan mu.
under an odious [woman] when she is married, and a handmaid when she is heir to her mistress.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete ɛnan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafoɔ ankasa:
There are four [things] little upon the earth, and they are exceeding wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔdeɛ nketewa a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduane ano ahuhuro berɛ mu;
The ants, a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 Nkukuban—yɛ abɔdeɛ a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afie wɔ abotan mu,
the rock-badgers are but a feeble folk, yet they make their house in the cliff;
27 ntutummɛ nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuakuo, kɔ wɔn anim;
the locusts have no king, yet they go forth all of them by bands;
28 wɔtumi de nsa kyere ɔkoterɛ, nanso wɔhunu no aberempɔn ahemfie.
thou takest hold of the lizard with the hands, yet is she in kings' palaces.
29 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na wɔwɔ aberempɔn nanteɛ, ɛnan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ aberempɔn:
There are three [things] which have a stately step, and four are comely in going:
30 gyata, mmoadoma ɔhene 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 nʼasraafoɔ atwa ne 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 Sɛdeɛ wɔka nufosuo nu mu a sradeɛ firi mu ba na wɔkyinkyim hwene a ɛtu mogya no, saa ara na abufuo 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.
