1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. 3I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.30.3 have: Heb. know 4Who hath ascended up 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? 5Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.30.5 pure: Heb. purified 6Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:30.7 deny…: Heb. withhold not from me 8Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:30.8 convenient…: Heb. of my allowance 9Lest 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.30.9 deny…: Heb. belie thee
10Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.30.10 Accuse…: Heb. Hurt not with thy tongue 11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 14There 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.
15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:30.15 It is…: Heb. Wealth 16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. 17The 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.30.17 the valley: or, the brook
18There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 19The 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.30.19 midst: Heb. heart 20Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness. 21For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: 22For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; 23For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:30.24 exceeding…: Heb. wise, made wise 25The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;30.27 by…: Heb. gathered together 28The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
29There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: 30A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 31A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.30.31 greyhound: or, horse: Heb. girt in the loins 32If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth. 33Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
Mawu a Aguri
1Nawa mawu a Aguri mwana wa Yake wa ku Masa:
Munthuyo anati kwa Itieli, “Inu Mulungu, ine ndatopa.
Inu Mulungu, ine ndatopa. Ndalefukiratu.
2“Ine ndine munthu wopusa kuposa anthu onse;
ndilibe nzeru zomvetsa zinthu zonga za munthu.
3Sindinaphunzire nzeru,
ndipo Woyerayo sindimudziwa.
4Kodi ndani anakwera kumwamba ndi kutsikako?
Ndani anafumbatapo mphepo mʼmanja mwake?
Ndani anamanga madzi mʼchovala chake?
Ndani anakhazikitsa mathero onse a dziko lapansi?
Dzina lake ndani? Ndiwuze ngati ukudziwa!
Ndipo mwana wake dzina lake ndani?
5“Mawu ali wonse a Mulungu ndi opanda cholakwika;
Iye ndi chishango kwa amene amathawira kwa Iye.
6Usawonjezepo kanthu pa mawu ake,
kuopa kuti Iye angadzakudzudzule ndi kukupeza kuti ndiwe wabodza.”
7“Inu Yehova, ndikukupemphani zinthu ziwiri
musandimane zimenezo ndisanafe:
8Choyamba, mundichotsere kutali nane mabodza ndi chinyengo.
Chachiwiri, ndisakhale mʼmphawi kapena munthu wachuma.
Koma muzindidyetsa chakudya chondikwanira tsiku ndi tsiku
9kuopa kuti ndikakhuta kwambiri ndingayambe kukukanani,
nʼkumanena kuti, ‘Yehova ndiye yaninso?’
Kuopanso kuti ndikakhala wosauka ndingayambe kuba,
potero nʼkuyipitsa dzina la Mulungu wanga.”
10“Usamusinjirire wantchito kwa mbuye wake
kuopa kuti angakutemberere ndipo iweyo nʼkupezeka wolakwa.”
11“Alipo ena amene amatemberera abambo awo,
ndipo sadalitsa amayi awo.
12Pali ena amene amadziyesa okha oyera mtima
komatu sanachotse zoyipa zawo.
13Pali ena ndi odzitukumula kwambiri,
amene amakweza zikope modzitukumula.
14Pali ena amene mano awo ali ngati malupanga
ndipo zibwano zawo zili ngati mipeni
moti amadya amphawi ndi kuwachotsa pa dziko lapansi.
Amachotsanso anthu osauka pakati pa anzawo.”
15“Msundu uli ndi ana aakazi awiri
iwo amalira kuti, ‘Tipatseni! Tipatseni!’ ”
“Pali zinthu zitatu zimene sizikhuta,
zinthu zinayi zimene sizinena kuti, ‘Takhuta!’
16Manda, mkazi wosabala,
nthaka yosakhuta madzi
ndiponso moto womangoyakirayakira!”
17Aliyense amene amanyoza abambo ake,
ndi kunyozera kumvera amayi ake,
makwangwala a ku chigwa adzamukolowola maso
ndipo mphungu zidzadya mnofu wake.
18Pali zinthu zitatu zimene zimandidabwitsa,
zinthu zinayi zimene ine sindizimvetsetsa.
19Ndipo ndi izi: mmene chiwulukira chiwombankhanga mlengalenga;
mmene iyendera njoka pa thanthwe;
mmene chiyendera chombo pa nyanja;
ndiponso mmene mwamuna achitira akakhala ndi namwali.
20Umu ndi mʼmene mkazi amachitira atachita chigololo:
Atatha kudya ndi kupukuta pakamwa pake
iye amanena kuti “Sindinachite kalikonse kolakwa.”
21Pali zinthu zitatu zimene zimanjenjemeretsa dziko lapansi,
pali zinthu zinayi zimene dziko lapansi silingathe kuzipirira:
22Kapolo amene wasanduka mfumu,
chitsiru chimene chakhuta,
23mkazi wonyozeka akakwatiwa
ndiponso wantchito wamkazi akalanda mwamuna wa mbuye wake.
24Pali zinthu zinayi zingʼonozingʼono pa dziko lapansi,
komatu ndi zochenjera kwambiri:
25Nyerere zili ngati anthu opanda mphamvu,
komatu zimasungiratu chakudya chake nthawi ya chilimwe;
26mbira zili ngati anthu opanda mphamvu
komatu zimakonza pokhalapo pawo mʼmiyala;
27dzombe lilibe mfumu,
komatu lonse limakhala mʼmagulumagulu poyenda.
28Buluzi ungathe kumugwira mʼmanja
komatu amapezeka mʼnyumba za mafumu.
29“Pali zinthu zitatu zimene zimayenda chinyachinya,
pali zinthu zinayi zimene zimayenda monyadira:
30Mkango umene uli wamphamvu kuposa nyama zonse,
ndipo suthawa kanthu kalikonse.
31Tambala woyenda chinyachinya, mbuzi yayimuna,
ndiponso mfumu yoyenda pakati pa anthu ake.
32“Ngati wakhala ukupusa ndi kumadzikweza wekha,
kapena ngati wakhala ukukonzekera zoyipa,
ndiye khala kaye chete, uganizire bwino!
33Paja pakutha mkaka mafuta amapangidwa,
ndipo ukapsinya mphuno, magazi amatuluka,
ndipo mikangano imakhalapo ukalimbikira kukwiya.”
