Proverbs 4
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
Nusɔsrɔ̃ deto mele mia nam eya ta migagbe nye nufiafia o.
3 When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
4 he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
efia num hegblɔ be, “Ku ɖe nye nyawo ŋu kple wò dzi katã, lé nye sededewo me ɖe asi ekema ànɔ agbe.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
Dze nunya, di gɔmesese, mègaŋlɔ nye nyawo be alo aƒo asa na wo o.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
Mègagbe nu le nunya gbɔ o ekema adzɔ ŋuwò, lɔ̃e ekema akpɔ tawò.
7 Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
Nunya ƒo nuwo katã ta eya ta dze nunya. Togbɔ be wò nunɔamesiwo katã nàtsɔ aƒlee hã la, di gɔmesese.
8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Atsɔ amenuveve aɖɔ na wò ta abe seƒoƒotsihe ene eye wòatsɔ atsyɔ̃fiakuku aɖɔ na wò.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
Ne èle zɔzɔm la, naneke maxe mɔ na wò afɔɖeɖewo o eye ne èsi du la, màkli nu o.
13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
Lé nufiame ɖe asi, mègana wòado le asiwò o; dzɔ eŋuti nyuie elabena eyae nye agbe na wò.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
Mègaka afɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe toƒewo alo nàzɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ dzi o.
15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
Ƒo asa na woƒe mɔwo, mègazɔ wo dzi o, lé wò mɔ tsɔ nàyi afi si yim nèle
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
elabena ne womewɔ nu vɔ̃ɖi o kpaa, womedɔa alɔ̃ o eye womedɔa akɔlɔ̃e teti hã o va se ɖe esime woana ame aɖe nadze anyi.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Woɖua vɔ̃ɖinyenye ƒe abolo eye wonoa nu sesẽ wɔwɔ ƒe wain.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
Ke ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe toƒe le abe ŋdi kanya ƒe ɣetotoe ene, eklẽna, gaklẽna ɖe edzi ne ŋu ɖe le eme nyuie.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ le abe viviti tsiɖitsiɖi ene eye womenya nu si na wole nu klim o.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Vinye, lé to ɖe nye nyawo ŋu eye nàƒu to anyi ɖe nya si gblɔm mele la ŋu.
21 Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
Mègana woadzo le wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ dzra wo ɖo ɖe wò dzi me,
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
elabena wonye agbe na ame siwo ke ɖe wo ŋu kple dɔyɔyɔ na ame ƒe ŋutilã blibo la.
23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
24 Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
26 Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
