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 oracle. The man saith unto Ithiel, 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.
And I have not learned wisdom, neither have I the 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 hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in his garment? 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 tried: he is a shield unto them that 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 asked 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 food that is needful 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 use profanely the name of my God.
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfoɔ din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wobɛtua so ka.
Slander not a servant unto 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; and [yet] are not washed from their filthiness.
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wɔbu animtiaa;
There is a generation, Oh 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 that say not, Enough:
The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not satisfied with water; and the fire that saith not, 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.’
So 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 doth tremble, and for four, [which] it cannot bear:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
For a servant when he is king; 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 provide 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 lizard taketh hold with her hands, yet is she in kings’ palaces,
29 “Nneɛma mmiɛnsa na wɔwɔ aberempɔn nanteɛ, ɛnan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ aberempɔn:
There be three things which are stately in their march, yea, four which are stately in going:
30 gyata, mmoadoma ɔhene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia.
The greyhound; the he-goat also; and the 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.”
For the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
