Mmɛbusɛm 30
1 Yake babarima Agur nsɛm a ɔkaeɛ a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ: Saa ɔbarima yi ka kyerɛɛ Itiel ne Ukal sɛ:
The words of Gatherer the son of Vomiter. The vision which the man spoke with whom God is, and who being strengthened by God, abiding with him, said:
2 “Me na mennim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, menni onipa nteaseɛ.
I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 Mensuaa nyansa, na menni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints.
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 heaven, and descended? who hath held the wind in his hands? who hath bound up the waters together as in a garment? who hath raised up all the borders of the earth? what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest?
5 “Onyankopɔn asɛm biara yɛ nokorɛ; ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔdwane toa no.
Every word of God is fire tried: he is a buckler to them that hope in him.
6 Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofoɔ.
Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved, and found a liar:
7 “Ao Awurade, nneɛma mmienu na mehwehwɛ firi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
Two things I have asked of thee, deny them not to me 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 lying words. Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life:
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 perhaps being filled, I should be tempted to deny, and say: Who is the Lord? or being compelled by poverty, I should steal, and forswear the name of my God.
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfoɔ din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wobɛtua so ka.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou fall.
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;
A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness.
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wɔbu animtiaa;
A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high.
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, that for teeth hath swords, and grindeth with their jaw teeth, to devour the needy from off the earth, and the poor 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 horseleech hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring. There are three things that never are satisfied, and the fourth never saith: It is enough.
Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and the earth which is not satisfied with water: and the fire never saith: 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 his father, and that despiseth the labour of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.
18 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛyɛ me nwanwa, ɛnan na mente aseɛ:
Three things are hard to me, and the fourth I am utterly ignorant of.
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 air, 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 in youth.
20 “Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ ɛkwan nie: Ɔdidi, ɔpepa nʼano na ɔka sɛ, ‘Menyɛɛ mfomsoɔ biara.’
Such is also the way of an adulterous woman, who eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith: I have done no evil.
21 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛma asase woso, ɛnan na asase ɛntumi nnyina ano:
By three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:
23 ɔbaa a wɔmmpɛ no na wawareɛ, afenaa a ɔtu nʼawurakwaa tena nʼanan mu.
By an odious woman when she is married: and by a bondwoman when she is heir to her mistress.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete ɛnan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafoɔ ankasa:
There are four very little things of the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔdeɛ nketewa a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduane ano ahuhuro berɛ mu;
The ants, a feeble people, which provide themselves food in the harvest:
26 Nkukuban—yɛ abɔdeɛ a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afie wɔ abotan mu,
The rabbit, a weak people, which maketh its bed in the rock:
27 ntutummɛ nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuakuo, kɔ wɔn anim;
The locust hath no king, yet they all go out by their bands.
28 wɔtumi de nsa kyere ɔkoterɛ, nanso wɔhunu no aberempɔn ahemfie.
The stellio supporteth itself on hands, and dwelleth in kings’ houses.
29 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na wɔwɔ aberempɔn nanteɛ, ɛnan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ aberempɔn:
There are three things, which go well, and the fourth that walketh happily:
30 gyata, mmoadoma ɔhene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
A lion, the strongest of beasts, who hath no fear of any thing he meeteth:
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia.
A cock girded about the loins: and a ram: and a king, whom none can resist.
32 “Sɛ woayɛ ɔkwasea ama wo ho so, anaa woadwene bɔne a, ma wʼani nwu na mua wʼano!
There is that hath appeared a fool after he was lifted up on high: for if he had understood, he would have laid his hand upon his 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.”
And he that strongly squeezeth the papa to bring out milk, straineth out butter: and he that violently bloweth his nose, bringeth out blood: and he that provoketh wrath bringeth forth strife.
