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, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end:
2 “Me na minnim hwee koraa wɔ nnipa mu, minni onipa ntease.
For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man:
3 Minsuaa nyansa, na minni Ɔkronkronni no ho nimdeɛ nso.
I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.
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 has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?
5 “Onyankopɔn asɛm biara yɛ nokware; ɔyɛ nkatabo ma wɔn a woguan toa no.
Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him.
6 Mfa biribi nka nʼasɛm ho, anyɛ saa a ɔbɛka wʼanim ama woayɛ ɔtorofo.
Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
7 “Awurade, nneɛma abien na mehwehwɛ afi wo nkyɛn; mfa nkame me ansa na mawu:
I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:
8 ma me ne atoro ne nnaadaasɛm ntam nware koraa; mma mennyɛ ohiani anaa ɔdefo; nanso ma me me daa aduan nkutoo.
Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food:
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.
For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.
10 “Nsɛe ɔsomfo din nkyerɛ ne wura; sɛ woyɛ saa a, ɔbɛdome wo na wubetua so ka.
Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.
11 “Nnipa bi dome wɔn agyanom, na wonhyira wɔn nanom nso;
There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother.
12 Wɔn a wɔteɛ wɔ wɔn ankasa ani so nanso wɔnhohoroo wɔn ho fi no;
There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.
13 wɔn a wɔn ani tra ntɔn, na wobu animtiaa;
There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows 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 like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need 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 night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough:
The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which never says, Enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 “Ani a eyi agya ahi, na ebu ɛna animtiaa no, obon mu kwaakwaadabi betutu, na apete abedi.
The eye which makes sport of a father, and sees no value in a mother when she is old will be rooted out by the ravens of the valley, and be food for the young eagles.
18 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛyɛ me nwonwa, anan na mente ase:
There are three things, the wonder of which overcomes me, even four things outside my knowledge:
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 snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a girl.
20 “Ɔbea ɔwaresɛefo kwan ni: Odidi, ɔpepa nʼano na ɔka se, ‘Menyɛɛ mfomso biara.’
This is the way of a false wife; she takes food, and, cleaning her mouth, says, I have done no wrong.
21 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na ɛma asase wosow, anan na asase ntumi nnyina ano:
For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:
22 akoa a wabɛyɛ ɔhene, ɔkwasea a wadidi amee,
A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;
23 ɔbea a wɔmpɛ no na waware, afenaa a otu nʼawuraa tena nʼanan mu.
A hated woman when she is married; and a servant-girl who takes the place of her master's wife.
24 “Nneɛma nketenkete anan na ɛwɔ asase so, nanso wɔyɛ anyansafo ankasa:
There are four things which are little on 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, but they put by a store of food in the summer;
26 Nkukuban yɛ abɔde a wonni ahoɔden, nanso wɔyɛ wɔn afi wɔ abotan mu,
The conies are only a feeble people, but they make their houses in the rocks;
27 mmoadabi nni ɔhene, nanso wɔsa so akuwakuw, kɔ wɔn anim;
The locusts have no king, but they all go out in bands;
28 wotumi de nsa kyere ɔketew, nanso wohu no abirɛmpɔn ahemfi.
You may take the lizard in your hands, but it is in kings' houses.
29 “Nneɛma abiɛsa na wɔwɔ abirɛmpɔnnantew, anan na wɔkeka wɔn ho te sɛ abirɛmpɔn:
There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:
30 gyata, mmoadoma hene a, biribiara mmɔ no hu;
The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;
31 akokɔnini a ɔretutu taataa, ɔpapo, ne ɔhene a nʼasraafo atwa no ho ahyia.
The war-horse, and the he-goat, and the king when his army is with him.
32 “Sɛ woayɛ ɔkwasea ama wo ho so, anaa woadwene bɔne a, ma wʼani nwu na mua wʼano!
If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your 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.”
The shaking of milk makes butter, and the twisting of the nose makes blood come: so the forcing of wrath is a cause of fighting.
