Proverbs 26
1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
Abe ale si sno dzanae le dzomeŋɔli alo tsi dzanae le nuŋeɣi ene la, nenemae bubu medze bometsila o.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
Abe ale si atsutsrɔe dzonae alo sagbadrɛ saa agbae ene la, nenemae ɖiŋu si wodo na ame ɖe madzɔmadzɔ dzi la tsia yamee.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
Sɔƒoka li na sɔ, numega li na tedzi nenemae ameƒoti li na bometsila ƒe dzimegbe!
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
Mègaɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu o, ne menye nenema o la, wò ŋutɔ hã ànɔ abe eya amea ene.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
Ɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu, ne menye nenema o la ava bu eɖokui nunyalae le eɖokui gbɔ.
6 Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
Dudede asi na bometsila le abe ame ŋutɔ ƒe afɔ lalã alo dzɔgbevɔ̃e nono ene.
7 Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Abe ale si atatututɔ ƒe afɔ nɔa yamee ene la, nenemae lododo le le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
8 Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
Abe ale si wotsɔa kpe dea akafomee ene la, nenemae bubudede bometsila ŋu le.
9 Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Abe ale si ŋuti nɔna le ahamula ƒe asimee ene la, nenemae lododo nɔna le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
Ame si daa aŋutrɔ bometsila dzodzro la le abe ame si dɔa dɔ ame si le eme tsom la ene.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
Abe ale si avu trɔna gayia nu si wòdzɔ gbɔe ene la, nenemae bometsila gawɔa bometsinu si wòwɔ va yi.
12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Èkpɔ ame aɖe si nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ŋkume kpɔa? Mɔkpɔkpɔ geɖe li na bometsila wu eya amea.
13 The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le mɔa dzi, dzata si le gbe tem ŋɔdzitɔe la le tsatsam le ablɔwo me!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
Abe ale si ʋɔtru trona le eƒe megbega mee ene la, nenemae kuviatɔ nɔa tɔtrɔm le eƒe aba dzii.
15 The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
Kuviatɔ tsɔ eƒe asi de nuɖugba me gake kuvia ɖoe ale gbegbe be, edede nu me zu dɔ nɛ.
16 The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
Kuviatɔ nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, wu ame adre siwo ɖoa nya ŋu nunyatɔe.
17 Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
Ame si le eme tsom gake de nu dzrenya si metsɔ egbɔ o me la le abe ame si lé towo kple eve na avu ene.
18 Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
Abe ale si aɖaʋatɔ daa akakati bibi alo aŋutrɔ si ŋu aɖi le la ene la,
19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
nenemae nye ame si ble ehavi eye emegbe wògblɔ nɛ be, “Fefem ko mele!”
20 Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
Ne nake meli o la, dzo tsina; ne sakplitɔ meli o la, dzre kena.
21 Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
Abe ale si aka léa dzo eye nake doa dzo ene la, nenema ŋutsu dzretɔ ƒlɔa dzre ɖoe.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
Amenyagblɔla ƒe nyawo vivina abe nuɖuɖu vivi si woka de nu me la ene; eyina ɖe ame ƒe dɔgbowo me ke.
23 Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
Abe ale si wofaa sikatsi ɖe anyikplu ŋu ene la, nenema nuyi xɔdzo si ŋu dzi vɔ̃ɖi kpe ɖo la le.
24 A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
Ame baɖa tsɔa eƒe nuyi trɔa eɖokui bubue, gake eɣlaa beble ɖe eƒe dzi me.
25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
Togbɔ be eƒe nyawo nya le sesem hã la, mègaxɔ edzi se o elabena ŋunyɔnu adre le eƒe dzi me.
26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Eƒe susu baɖa aɣla ɖe beble megbe, gake woaʋu go eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi le amehawo dome.
27 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
Ne ame aɖe ɖe ʋe la, eya ŋutɔ age adze eme eye ame si amli kpe la, kpe si wòmli la age adze eya ŋutɔ dzi.
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
Alakpaɖe léa fu ame siwo ŋuti wòle abi demii, eye nu si blea ame la hea gbegblẽ vɛ.
