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, [even] the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 “Me na mennim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, menni onipa nteaseɛ.
Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 Mensuaa nyansa, na menni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have 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 heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
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] have I required 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 food convenient for me:
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] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfoɔ din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wobɛtua so ka.
Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found 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, and [yet] is not washed from their filthiness.
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wɔbu animtiaa;
[There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and 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.
[There is] a generation, whose teeth [are as] swords, and their jaw teeth [as] knives, to devour the poor 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 horseleach hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yea], four [things] say not, [It is] enough:
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] 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 [his] father, and despiseth to obey [his] 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 be three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yea, four which 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 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 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:
For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 ɔbaa a wɔmmpɛ no na wawareɛ, afenaa a ɔtu nʼawurakwaa tena nʼanan mu.
For an odious [woman] when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete ɛnan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafoɔ ankasa:
There be four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] exceeding wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔdeɛ nketewa a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduane ano ahuhuro berɛ mu;
The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 Nkukuban—yɛ abɔdeɛ a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afie wɔ abotan mu,
The conies [are but] a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 ntutummɛ nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuakuo, kɔ wɔn anim;
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 wɔtumi de nsa kyere ɔkoterɛ, nanso wɔhunu no aberempɔn ahemfie.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
29 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na wɔwɔ aberempɔn nanteɛ, ɛnan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ aberempɔn:
There be three [things] which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 gyata, mmoadoma ɔhene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
A lion [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia.
A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising 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] thine 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.”
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
