Proverbs 1
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
Israel fia Solomo, David ƒe vi ƒe lododowo nye esiawo:
2 for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
na nunya kple amehehe, na nya goglowo gɔmesese,
3 and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
hena agbe dzɔdzɔe kple agbe ɖevi nɔnɔ, be woawɔ nu si dzɔ, nu si le eteƒe kple nu si nyo,
4 To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
be ame gblɔewo nadze aɖaŋu eye woana nunya kple sidzedze sɔhɛwo,
5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
nunyalawo neɖo to, ne woasrɔ̃ nu akpe ɖe esi wonya xoxo la ŋu eye ame siwo si sidzedze le xoxo la naxɔ aɖaŋu,
6 by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
be woase nunyalawo ƒe lododowo abebubuwo kple adzowo gɔme.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye nunya ƒe gɔmedzedze, ke bometsilawo doa vlo nunya kple amehehe.
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
Vinye, ɖo to fofowò ƒe nuxɔxlɔ̃ eye mègagbe nu le dawò ƒe nufiame gbɔ o.
9 For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
Anye seƒoƒokuku aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò ta kple kɔga anɔ kɔwò.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
Vinye, ne nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo le nuwò blem la, mègalɔ̃ na wo o.
11 If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
Ne wogblɔ na wò be, “Va kplɔ mí ɖo, na míade xa ɖe ame aɖe ƒe ʋu ŋuti, na míanɔ xame na luʋɔ maɖifɔ aɖe,
12 let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
ne míamii agbagbee abe tsiẽƒe ene, eye míamii blibo abe ame siwo ge dze ʋe globo me ene (Sheol h7585)
13 We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
ekema nu xɔasi vovovowo asu mía si eye míatsɔ afunyinuwo ayɔ míaƒe xɔwo mee
14 Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
eya ta de mía dzi ale be míana gakotoku ɖeka wò” la,
15 my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
vinye, mègakplɔ wo ɖo o, mègaka afɔ woƒe toƒewo o
16 For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
elabena woƒe afɔ ɖea abla ɖe nu vɔ̃ ŋu eye wogona ɖe ʋukɔkɔɖi ŋu.
17 How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
Enye movidzɔdzɔ be woaɖo ɖɔ ɖi na xeviwo le wo katã ƒe ŋkume!
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
Ame siawo de xa ɖi na woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ʋu eye wole adeklo dzi ɖe woawo ŋutɔ ɖokuiwo ŋu!
19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
Aleae ame siwo tia viɖe ƒoɖi yome la ƒe nuwuwu anɔ, elabena eɖea ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la ƒe agbe ɖa.
20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
Nunya le ɣli dom le mɔtata dzi eye wòkɔ gbe dzi le ƒuƒoƒewo.
21 in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
Ele ɣli dom le mɔtata siwo dzi zinyenye le la ƒe dzogoewo dzi eye wòle eƒe nyawo gblɔm le dua ƒe agbowo me be,
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
“Va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi mi gegemewo mialɔ̃ bometsinuwɔwɔ? Va se ɖe ɣe ka yi fewuɖulawo akpɔ dzidzɔ le fewuɖuɖu ŋu, bometsilawo alé fu sidzedze?
23 If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.
Ne ɖe mietrɔ ɖe nye mokaname ŋu la, anye ne metrɔ nye dzi kɔ ɖe anyi na mi eye mena mienya nye susuwo.
24 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
Ke esi miegbe tɔtɔ nam esi meyɔ mi, esi meke nye abɔwo me, mietsɔ ɖeke le eme o
25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
eye miedo toku nye aɖaŋuɖoɖowo, hegbe nye mokaname ta la,
26 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
nye hã mako mi le miaƒe gbegblẽ ta eye maɖe alɔme le mia ŋu ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe mia dzi,
27 when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
ɛ̃, ne eƒo ɖe mia dzi abe ahom sesẽ ene, gbegblẽ hã zɔ to mia dzi abe yali ene, eye xaxa kple hiã va mia dzi kpoyi!
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
“Ekema woayɔm gake nyematɔ o, woadim gake womakpɔm o.
29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
Le esi wolé fu sidzedze eye wometia Yehowavɔvɔ̃ o,
30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
le esi wogbe nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo hedo vlo nye mokaname ta.
31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Azɔ la woaɖu woƒe mɔwo ƒe kutsetse eye woƒe ɖoɖowo ƒe kutsetse aɖi ƒo na wo
32 For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
elabena gegemewo ƒe afɔɖeɖe baɖawo awu wo eye bometsilawo ƒe ɖekematsɔleme atsrɔ̃ wo.
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
Ke ame sia ame si ɖoa tom la, anɔ agbe le dedinɔnɔ me eye aɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ, mavɔ̃ na dzɔgbevɔ̃e o.”
