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 Yakeh, even the prophecy: the man said unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ukkal,
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 common man.
3 Mensuaa nyansa, na menni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
Nor have I learned wisdom, so that I should have knowledge of the Holy One.
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 was it that ascended into heaven, and came down again? who gathered the wind in his fists? who bound the waters in a garment? who set up all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest it?”
5 “Onyankopɔn asɛm biara yɛ nokorɛ; ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔdwane toa no.
Every saying of God is purified: he is a shield unto those that put their trust in him.
6 Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofoɔ.
Do not add aught 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 request 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.
Vanity and lying words do thou remove far from me: neither poverty nor riches give thou unto me; let me eat the bread appointed unto 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 become over-full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I become poor, and steal, and trespass against the name of my God.
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfoɔ din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wobɛtua so ka.
Do not calumniate a servant unto his master: lest he curse thee, and thou incur guilt.
11 “Nnipa bi dome wɔn agyanom, na wɔnnhyira wɔn maamenom nso;
There is a generation that curseth its father, and doth not bless its mother.
12 Wɔn a wɔtene wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so a ɛnso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi;
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed [clean] of its filthiness.
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wɔbu animtiaa;
There is a generation—O how lofty are its eyes! and its eyelids are so 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 whose string teeth are 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!’
Insatiability hath two daughters, [crying, ] Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things which never say, Enough:
The nether world; and a barren womb; the earth which is not satisfied with water; and the fire which never saith, 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, this shall the ravens of the valley pick out; and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛyɛ me nwanwa, ɛnan na mente aseɛ:
Three things there are which are too wonderful for me; and 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 the eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
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 wrong.
21 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛma asase woso, ɛnan na asase ɛntumi nnyina ano:
Under three things the earth trembleth, and under four which she cannot bear:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
Under a servant when he becometh king, and a worthless fool when he hath eaten enough bread;
23 ɔbaa a wɔmmpɛ no na wawareɛ, afenaa a ɔtu nʼawurakwaa tena nʼanan mu.
Under an odious woman when she is married, and a bond-woman when she dispossesseth her mistress.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete ɛnan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafoɔ ankasa:
There are four which are the little ones of the earth, and they are nevertheless exceedingly wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔdeɛ nketewa a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduane ano ahuhuro berɛ mu;
The ants are a people not strong, therefore do they prepare in the summer their food;
26 Nkukuban—yɛ abɔdeɛ a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afie wɔ abotan mu,
The conies are but a feeble people, therefore do they place on the rocks their houses;
27 ntutummɛ nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuakuo, kɔ wɔn anim;
The locusts have no king, and yet they go forth in troops altogether;
28 wɔtumi de nsa kyere ɔkoterɛ, nanso wɔhunu no aberempɔn ahemfie.
The spider thou canst catch with [thy] hands, and yet she is in the palaces of a king.
29 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na wɔwɔ aberempɔn nanteɛ, ɛnan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ aberempɔn:
Three there are that have a stately step, and four, that are stately in going:
30 gyata, mmoadoma ɔhene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
The lion, the mightiest among beasts, who turneth not round from before any one;
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia.
The light-legged greyhound, and the he-goat; 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 become degraded by lifting up thyself, or if thou hast devised evil, put thy hand to 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 pressure of milk bringeth forth butter, and the pressure of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the pressure of wrath bringeth forth strife.
