Mmɛbusɛm 30
1 Yake babarima Agur nsɛm a ɔkaeɛ a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ: Saa ɔbarima yi ka kyerɛɛ Itiel ne Ukal sɛ:
Words of Agur, son of Jakeh, the burden, a declaration of the man to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal: I have wearied myself [for] God, I have wearied myself [for] God, and am consumed.
2 “Me na mennim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, menni onipa nteaseɛ.
For I am more brutish than anyone, And do not have the understanding of a man.
3 Mensuaa nyansa, na menni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
Nor have I learned wisdom, Yet I know the knowledge of the Holy Ones.
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 went up to the heavens, and comes down? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound waters in a garment? Who established all ends of the earth? What [is] His Name? And what [is] His Son’s Name? Surely you know!
5 “Onyankopɔn asɛm biara yɛ nokorɛ; ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔdwane toa no.
Every saying of God [is] tried, He [is] a shield to those trusting in Him.
6 Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofoɔ.
Do not add to His words, lest He reason with you, And you have been found false.
7 “Ao Awurade, nneɛma mmienu na mehwehwɛ firi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
Two things I have asked from You, Do not withhold from me before I die.
8 Yi atorɔ ne ahohwisɛm firi me mu; mma mennyɛ ohiani anaa ɔdefoɔ; nanso ma me deɛ medi daa.
Put vanity and a lying word far from me, Do not give poverty or wealth to me, Cause me to eat the bread of my portion,
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 satiated, and have denied, And have said, “Who [is] YHWH?” And lest I am poor, and have stolen, And have laid hold of the Name of my God.
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfoɔ din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wobɛtua so ka.
Do not accuse a servant to his lord, Lest he disapprove of you, and you are found guilty.
11 “Nnipa bi dome wɔn agyanom, na wɔnnhyira wɔn maamenom nso;
A generation lightly esteems their father, And does not bless their mother.
12 Wɔn a wɔtene wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so a ɛnso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi;
A generation—pure in their own eyes, But not washed from their own filth.
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wɔbu animtiaa;
A generation—how high are their eyes, Indeed, 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—their teeth [are] swords, And their jaw-teeth [are] knives, To consume the poor from 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!’
To the leech [are] two daughters—Give! Give! Behold, three things are not satisfied, Four have not said “Sufficiency”;
Sheol, and a restrained womb, Earth—it [is] not satisfied [with] water, And fire—it has not said, “Sufficiency,” (Sheol h7585)
17 “Ani a ɛyi agya ahi, na ɛbu ɛna animtia no, bɔnhwa ho anene bɛtutu, na apete abɛdi.
An eye that mocks at a father, And despises to obey a mother, Ravens of the valley dig it out, And young eagles eat it.
18 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛyɛ me nwanwa, ɛnan na mente aseɛ:
Three things have been too wonderful for me, Indeed, four that I have not known:
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 heavens, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the heart 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.’
So—the way of an adulterous woman, She has eaten and has wiped her mouth, And has said, “I have not done iniquity.”
21 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na ɛma asase woso, ɛnan na asase ɛntumi nnyina ano:
For three things has earth been troubled, And for four—it is not able to bear:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
For a servant when he reigns, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,
23 ɔbaa a wɔmmpɛ no na wawareɛ, afenaa a ɔtu nʼawurakwaa tena nʼanan mu.
For a hated one when she rules, And a maidservant when she succeeds her mistress.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete ɛnan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafoɔ ankasa:
Four [are] little ones of earth, And they are made wiser than the wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔdeɛ nketewa a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduane ano ahuhuro berɛ mu;
The ants [are] a people not strong, And they prepare their food in summer,
26 Nkukuban—yɛ abɔdeɛ a wɔnni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afie wɔ abotan mu,
hyraxes [are] a people not strong, And they place their house in a rock,
27 ntutummɛ nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuakuo, kɔ wɔn anim;
There is no king to the locust, And it goes out—each one shouting,
28 wɔtumi de nsa kyere ɔkoterɛ, nanso wɔhunu no aberempɔn ahemfie.
A spider with two hands takes hold, And is in the palaces of a king.
29 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na wɔwɔ aberempɔn nanteɛ, ɛnan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ aberempɔn:
There are three going well, Indeed, four are good in going:
30 gyata, mmoadoma ɔhene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
An old lion—mighty among beasts, That does not turn back from the face of any,
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia.
A girt one of the loins, Also a male goat, And a king—troops with him.
32 “Sɛ woayɛ ɔkwasea ama wo ho so, anaa woadwene bɔne a, ma wʼani nwu na mua wʼano!
If you have been foolish in lifting yourself up, And if you have devised evil—hand to 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 churning of milk brings out butter, And the wringing of the nose brings out blood, And the forcing of anger brings out strife!
