Proverbs Chapter 30

Di Yarnings Of Agur

1. Dis na di words of Agur, son of
   Jakeh,—even hin words. Dis man follow
   Ithiel tok—even to ithiel plus Ucal sey:
   “Chai, Baba-God, I don taya, and I no get
   pawa again.
2. “Na me surely no-get- sense pass among
   men; I no get common sense wey men get.
3. I no learn how to use my common sense,
   and I no know anytin about Baba-God.
4. Who don go heaven con come back? Who
   fit catch breeze for hin hand?
   Who fit use hin cloth wrap water? Who don
   stand di earth gidigbam for ground?
   Wetin be hin name and di name of hin Son?
   Abi you know?
5. “All Baba-God word dey pure; Baba-God
   na protection for pipo wey dey trust am.
6. No add-join hin word, or he go change-
   am-for you, con show pipo sey you be lie-lie.
7. “Na two tins I dey ask from you, Oh Baba-
   God; make I get dem before I kpeme;
8. First of all, carry fake- life and lie-lie far
   from me; second, I no wan be bigman and I
   no wan be poor man, but just give me enuff
   tins wey go make me belleful.
9. If not, I go get too much—con fashi you, con tok sey, “Who be Baba-God?” Or I go poor, con start to dey tiff, con stop to dey respect your name.
10. “No ever do aproko about worker for hin
    oga, or di worker go curse you, and you go
    pay for wetin you don do.
11. “Generation dey—wey dey curse dia
    papa, and dem no dey bless dia mama.
12. Generation dey—wey dey look demsef
    sey dem pure, but sin neva wash komot from
    dia heart.
13. Generation dey—wey dey look demsef
    wit big-eyes, and dia eyes dey for up.
14. Generation dey—wey dia teeth na
    cutlass, and dia jaw teeth be like knife to cut
    poor pipo komot from di earth, and pursue
    pipo wey need epp—komot from where
    human being dey.
15. “Blood sucker (leech)—get two
    daughters. Dem dey shout, ‘Give! Give!’
    “Na three tins dey—wey no-fit belleful, four
    tins wey no-fit tok sey, ‘E don do!’:
16. Grave, woman wey no fit born pikin, di
    earth wey no dey belleful wit water, plus
    faya—wey no dey tok sey, “E don do.”
17. “Raven wey dey for di valley, go pluck di
    eye of pipo wey dey yab dia papa, and pipo
    wey dey laff instead of dem to obey dia
    mama, and young eagle go chop di eyes.
18. “Na three tins dey—wey dey blow my
    mind and four t ins dey— wey I no
    understand:
19. How eagle take dey fly for sky, how
    snake take dey move on top of rock, how
    ship take dey move for middle of big-river
    [di way of ship], and man and woman mata.
20. “Na ashawo way be dis: She go chop
    man, clean mouth, con tok sey, ‘I neva do any
    bad tin.”
21. Na three tins dey make di earth shake, na
    four tins nahin di earth no-fit hold:
22. Servant wey turn to king, mugu wey
    chop belleful,
23. badbelle woman wey marry, and house-
    girl wey take her madam position.
24. “Four tins dey for di earth wey small, but
    dem wise well-well:
25. Ant no get pawa, but dem dey gada dia
    food for dry season.
26. Coney na animal wey no-get-pawa, but
    dem dey build dia house for rock.
27. Locust no get king, but all of dem dey
    grow for rank.
28. You fit use your hand take catch spider,
    but you go still see am even for king palace.
29. “Na three tins dey always dey waka like
    king, and four tins wey dey denge-pose as
    dem dey waka”;
30. lion wey be di king among all di
    animals—wey no dey fear anytin,
31. Greyhound (dog for hunting), he-goat,
    and king wit hin army wey surround am.
32. If you don be mumu, and you don give
    yoursef levels wey you no get, or if you don
    plan evil tins—cover your face wit shame!
33. As turning of milk take dey produce
    butter, and if you hit your nose blood go
    flow, naso to cos vex dey bring fight.”