Proverbs 22
1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; favor is better than silver and gold.
Ŋkɔ nyui didi nyo wu kesinɔnuwo eye ŋudzedzekpɔkpɔ nyo wu klosalo kple sika.
2 The rich and the poor have this in common: The LORD is Maker of them all.
Nu ɖeka siae nàkpɔ le kesinɔtɔ kple ame dahe ŋu: Yehowae nye wo katã Wɔla.
3 The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila ya yiyim ko wòle eye wòkpea fu ɖe enu.
4 The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
Ɖokuibɔbɔ kple Yehowavɔvɔ̃ hea kesinɔnu, bubu kple agbe vɛ.
5 Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them.
Ŋu kple mɔkawo le ame vɔ̃ɖi la ƒe mɔ dzi, ke ame si dzɔ eƒe luʋɔ ŋuti la, ate ɖa xaa tso wo gbɔ.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
He ɖevi ɖe mɔ si wòato la dzi eye ne etsi la, mate ɖa le edzi o.
7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
Kesinɔtɔwo ɖua gã ɖe ame dahewo dzi eye nugbanadola zua dɔla na ame si do nugbana la nɛ.
8 He who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
Ame si ƒã vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi la axa dzɔgbevɔ̃e, eye woatsrɔ eƒe dɔmedzoe ƒe ameƒoti.
9 A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
Woayra ame si nyoa dɔ me na amewo elabena emaa eƒe nuɖuɖu kple ame dahewo.
10 Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
Nya fewuɖula la do goe eye dzre hã ado go, nenema ke nyahehe kple dzudzu hã awu nu.
11 He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips will have the king for a friend.
Ame si lɔ̃ dzi dzadzɛ kple nuƒoƒo si me nya dzetowo le la, eyae fia la adze xɔ̃e.
12 The LORD’s eyes keep watch over knowledge, but He frustrates the words of the faithless.
Yehowa ƒe ŋkuwo le nugɔmesese ŋu, ke etrɔa gbo nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe nyawo.
13 The slacker says, “There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!”
Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le gota!” alo “Woava wum le ablɔ dzi!”
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the wrath of the LORD will fall into it.
Nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe nu la, ʋe globo wònye eye ame si dzi Yehowa ƒe dziku le la eyae age adze eme.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Wobla bometsitsi ɖe ɖevi ƒe dzi ŋu, ke ɖɔɖɔɖo ƒe ameƒoti ana wòate ɖa xaa tso egbɔ.
16 Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself or giving gifts to the rich will surely lead to poverty.
Ame si tea ame dahewo ɖe anyi be yeadzi yeƒe kesinɔnuwo ɖe edzi kple ame si naa nu kesinɔtɔ la siaa age ɖe hiã me.
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise— apply your mind to my knowledge—
Ƒu to anyi eye nàse nunyalawo ƒe nyawo, na wò dzi naku ɖe nu si fiam mele ŋuti,
18 for it is pleasing when you keep them within you and they are constantly on your lips.
elabena edoa dzidzɔ na ame ne èɣla wo ɖe wò dzi me, eye wo katã nanɔ klalo le wò nuyiwo dzi.
19 So that your trust may be in the LORD, I instruct you today—yes, you.
Ale be nàɖo dzi ɖe Yehowa ŋu, esia ta mele nu fiam wò ɖo egbea, ɛ̃, wòe mele nu fiam.
20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings about counsel and knowledge,
Ɖe nyemeŋlɔ nufiamenya blaetɔ̃ na wò, aɖaŋuɖonyawo kple nugɔmesenyawo
21 to show you true and reliable words, that you may soundly answer those who sent you?
be woafia nyateƒe kple kakaɖedzinyawo wò be nàtsɔ nunyanyawo aɖo nya ŋu na ame si dɔ wò la oa?
22 Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate,
Mègaba ame dahewo le esi woda ahe ta o eye mègate hiãtɔ ɖe to le ʋɔnu o,
23 for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.
elabena Yehowa axɔ nya ɖe wo nu eye wòaha ame si ha wo.
24 Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,
Mègadze xɔ̃ ŋutsu dɔmedzoetɔ o eye mègade ha kple ame si doa dziku kabakaba o,
25 or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
ne menye nenema o la, àva srɔ̃ eƒe mɔwo eye nàtsɔ ɖokuiwò ade mɔ me.
26 Do not be one who gives pledges, who puts up security for debts.
Mèganye ame si ƒua asi akɔ ɖe fenyila nu alo dea megbe na ame si do nugbana la o;
27 If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?
eye ne mèkpɔ ga axe fea o la, woaɖe aba si dzi nèmlɔna la gɔ̃ hã le tewò.
28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone which your fathers have placed.
Mègaɖe blemaliƒokpe si fofowòwo ɖi la ɖa o.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
Èkpɔ ame si bi ɖe eƒe dɔ me la le dɔ wɔma? Asubɔ le fiawo ŋgɔ eye menye le ame tsɛwo ŋgɔ o.
