Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.
Abolo ƒuƒlu sue ɖuɖu si ŋu ŋutifafa kple dziɖeɖi kpe ɖo la nyo wu aƒe si me yɔ fũu kple agbeɖuɖu eye dzre kpe ɖe eŋu.
2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.
Dɔla nyanu aɖu aƒetɔ ɖe viŋutsu ŋukpenanuwɔla dzi eye ama domenyinu la kpli wo abe wo nɔviŋutsu wònye ene.
3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
Sonu li na klosalo eye dzokpo li na sika, ke Yehowae doa dziwo katã kpɔ.
4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa to nuyi vɔ̃ɖiwo eye aʋatsotɔ ƒua to anyi ɖe aɖe si gblẽa ame ŋu la ŋu.
5 He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.
Ame si ɖea alɔme le ame dahe ŋuti la doa vlo woƒe Wɔla eye ame si kpɔa dzidzɔ be dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔ la, womagbe tohehe nɛ o.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.
Ame si ku amegã la ƒe fiakukue nye viawo ƒe viwo eye dzilawo nye atsyɔ̃ na wo viwo.
7 Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!
Nuyi siwo doa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe dzi la medzena bometsila kaka alakpanuyiwo nahayi dziɖula dze ge o!
8 A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Zãnu nye kpe xɔasi na ame si nae, afi sia afi si wòayi la, edzea dzi nɛ.
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.
Ame si tsɔ nu tsyɔ vodada dzi la doa lɔlɔ̃ ɖe ŋgɔ eye ame si gawɔ nu si wòwɔ va yi la maa xɔlɔ̃ veviwo dome.
10 A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.
Mokaname dea ta me na ame si si sidzedze le wu nu si ƒoƒo alafa ɖeka nye na bometsila.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi la ɖoe kplikpaa be yeadze aglã eya ta woadɔ dumegã sẽŋuta ɖe eŋu.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
Enyo be nàdo go sisiblisi si ŋu woɖe viwo le wu esi nàdo go bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi me.
13 If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Ne ŋutsu tsɔ vɔ̃ ɖo nyui teƒe la, vɔ̃ madzo ɖa le eƒe aƒe me kpɔ gbeɖe o.
14 To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
Dzregɔmetoto le abe ale si woŋɔa tɔʋu ene; eya ta ɖe asi le nya ŋu hafi wòava zu dzre.
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.
Afiatsotso na agɔdzela, kple fɔbubu agɔmadzela siaa nye nu si Yehowa tsri.
16 Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?
Ŋudɔwɔnu ka ga nye le bometsila ƒe asi me, esi didi aɖeke mele eme ɖe nunyadidi ŋuti o?
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Xɔlɔ̃ lɔ̃a ame ɣeawo katã ɣi, ke wodzi nɔviŋutsu hena hiãgbe.
18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
Ame manyanu ƒua asi akɔ eye wòdoa ŋugbe tsɔa eɖokui daa megbee na ehavi si nyi fe.
19 He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
Ame si lɔ̃ dzrewɔwɔ la lɔ̃a nu vɔ̃ eye ame si de agbo kɔkɔ eƒe aƒe nu la le gbegblẽ dim.
20 The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.
Ame si si dzi dovo le la nu medzea edzi nɛ o eye ame si si alakpaɖe le la gena ɖe fukpekpe me.
21 A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
Viŋutsu si tsi bome la hea veve vɛ, eye fofo si, si vi tsibome le la makpɔ dzidzɔ o.
22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Dzi si kpɔa dzidzɔ la nye atike nyui, ke gbɔgbɔ si wote ɖe to la nana ƒu tome ƒuna kplakplakpla.
23 A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi xɔa zãnu le bebeme be wòatrɔ nya dzɔdzɔe atsyɔ anyi.
24 Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.
Ame si si sidzedze le la ƒe ŋku nɔa nunya ŋu, ke bometsila ƒe ŋkuwo tsana, dona ɖe anyigba ƒe mlɔenu ke.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
Viŋutsu tsibome hea nuxaxa vɛ na fofoa kple veve vɛ na ame si dzii.
26 It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.
Menyo be woahe to na fɔmaɖila alo aƒo dɔnunɔla ɖe eƒe nuteƒewɔwɔ ta o.
27 A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
Ame si si sidzedze su la nya vlowo medona le enu o eye ame si si gɔmesese le la ɖɔa ŋu ɖo, medoa dziku dzodzro o.
28 Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.
Wobua bometsila gɔ̃ hã nunyalae nenye be ezi ɖoɖoe, eye wobunɛ sidzelae ne ekpɔ eƒe aɖe dzi nyuie.
