Mmebusɛm 30
1 Yake babarima Agur nsɛm a ɔkae a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ: Saa ɔbarima yi ka kyerɛɛ Itiel ne Ukal se:
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,
2 “Me na minnim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, minni onipa ntease.
Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 Minsuaa nyansa, na minni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4 Hena na waforo akɔ ɔsoro na wasian aba fam? Hena na wabɔ mframa boa wɔ ne nsam? Hena na ɔde nʼatade abɔ nsu boa? Hena na ɔbɔɔ asase tamaa yi? Ne din de dɛn, na ne babarima nso din de dɛn? Sɛ wunim a ka kyerɛ me!
Who hath ascended 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 nokware; ɔyɛ nkatabo ma wɔn a woguan toa no.
Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield to them that put their trust in him.
6 Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofo.
Add thou not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 “Awurade, nneɛma abien na mehwehwɛ afi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
Two [things] have I required of thee; deny [them] not to me before I die:
8 ma me ne atoro ne nnaadaasɛm ntam nware koraa; mma mennyɛ ohiani anaa ɔdefo; nanso ma me me daa aduan nkutoo.
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 minya me ho pii a ɛbɛma mapa wo na maka se, ‘Hena ne Awurade?’ Anaa mɛyɛ ohiani na mabɔ korɔn, na ama magu me Nyankopɔn 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 ɔsomfo din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wubetua so ka.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 “Nnipa bi dome wɔn agyanom, na wonhyira wɔn nanom nso;
[There is] a generation [that] curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 Wɔn a wɔteɛ wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so nanso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi no;
[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 wobu animtiaa;
[There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 wɔn a wɔn se yɛ afoa na asekan hyehyɛ wɔn abogye mu wɔn na wɔbɛtɔre ahiafo ase afi asase so, na wɔayi ahiafo afi adesamma 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 mmabea baanu a wɔteɛ mu se, ‘Fa ma! Fa ma!’ “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛmmee da anan na ɛnka da se, ‘Eye!’
The horse-leech hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yes], 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 eyi agya ahi, na ebu ɛna animtiaa no, obon mu kwaakwaadabi betutu, na apete abedi.
The eye [that] mocketh at [its] father, and despiseth to obey [its] mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛyɛ me nwonwa, anan na mente ase:
There are three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yes, four which I know not:
19 Ɔkwan a ɔkɔre nam so wɔ wim, sɛnea ɔwɔ nantew ɔbotan so, ɔkwan a hyɛn nam so wɔ po tamaa so, ne sɛnea ɔbarima dɔ ababaa.
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 “Ɔbea ɔwaresɛefo kwan ni: Odidi, ɔpepa nʼano na ɔka se, ‘Menyɛɛ mfomso biara.’
Such [is] the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛma asase wosow, anan na asase ntumi 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 food.
23 ɔbea a wɔmpɛ no na waware, afenaa a otu nʼawuraa tena nʼanan mu.
For an odious [woman] when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete anan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafo ankasa:
There are four [things which are] little upon the earth, but they [are] very wise:
25 Ntɛtea yɛ abɔde nketewa a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔboaboa wɔn aduan ano ahuhuru bere mu;
The ants [are] a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 Nkukuban yɛ abɔde a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afi wɔ abotan mu,
The conies [are but] a feeble people, yet they make their houses in the rocks;
27 mmoadabi nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuwakuw, kɔ wɔn anim;
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 wotumi de nsa kyere ɔketew, nanso wohu no abirɛmpɔn ahemfi.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king's palaces.
29 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na wɔwɔ abirɛmpɔnnantew, anan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ abirɛmpɔn:
There are three [things] which go well, yes, four are comely in going:
30 gyata, mmoadoma hene 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 nʼasraafo atwa no ho ahyia.
A greyhound; a 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] thy hand upon thy mouth.
33 Sɛnea wɔka nufusu nu mu a srade fi mu ba, na wokyinkyim hwene a etu mogya no, saa ara na abufuw 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.
