Proverbs 16
1 The designs of the heart are man's, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.
Amegbetɔ tɔe nye dzi ƒe nuɖoɖowo, ke nyaŋuɖoɖo na aɖe tsoa Yehowa gbɔ.
2 All a man's ways are clean to himself; but the Lord puts men's spirits into his scales.
Fɔɖiɖi menɔa ame ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo ŋu le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume o, ke Yehowa daa susuwo kpɔ.
3 Put your works into the hands of the Lord, and your purposes will be made certain.
Tsɔ nu sia nu si nèwɔna la de Yehowa ƒe asi me, ekema wò ɖoɖowo adze edzi na wò.
4 The Lord has made everything for his purpose, even the sinner for the day of evil.
Yehowa wɔ nu sia nu le eƒe ŋudɔwɔnu ta, eɖo ame vɔ̃ɖi la gɔ̃ hã ɖi hena dzɔgbevɔ̃eŋkeke la.
5 Everyone who has pride in his heart is disgusting to the Lord: he will certainly not go free from punishment.
Dadalawo katã nye ŋunyɔnu na Yehowa. Maka ɖe edzi na wò be, womagbe tohehe na wo o.
6 By mercy and good faith evil-doing is taken away: and by the fear of the Lord men are turned away from evil.
Woɖea nu vɔ̃ ɖa to lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ me eye ame ƒoa asa na nu vɔ̃ɖi to Yehowavɔvɔ̃ me.
7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his haters be at peace with him.
Ne ame aɖe ƒe mɔwo nyo Yehowa ŋu la, enana eƒe futɔwo gɔ̃ hã nɔa anyi kplii le ŋutifafa me.
8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great wealth with wrongdoing.
Nu sue si ŋu dzɔdzɔenyenye kpe ɖo la nyo wu nu geɖe si ŋu madzɔmadzɔ kpe ɖo.
9 A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps.
Ame wɔa ɖoɖo ɖe ale si wòazɔe ŋu le eƒe dzi me, gake Yehowae fiaa ale si wòaɖe afɔe.
10 Decision is in the lips of the king: his mouth will not go wrong in judging.
Fia ƒe nuyiwo ƒoa nu abe nya gblɔm wòle ɖi ene eya ta eƒe nu megatso afia gbegblẽ o.
11 True measures and scales are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.
Nudakpe kple nudanu vavãwo tso Yehowa gbɔ eye nenema ke nudakpe siwo katã le akplo me hã nye eƒe nuwɔwɔ.
12 Evil-doing is disgusting to kings: for the seat of the ruler is based on righteousness.
Nu tovo wɔwɔ nye ŋunyɔnu na fiawo elabena woɖoa fiazikpui anyi ɖe dzɔdzɔenyenye dzi.
13 Lips of righteousness are the delight of kings; and he who says what is upright is dear to him.
Nuyi siwo dzi alakpa mele o la, doa dzidzɔ na fiawo, wodea asixɔxɔ ame si toa nyateƒe la ŋu.
14 The wrath of the king is like those who give news of death, but a wise man will put peace in place of it.
Fia ƒe dziku nye ku ƒe dɔla, ke nunyala alé avui.
15 In the light of the king's face there is life; and his approval is like a cloud of spring rain.
Ne fia ɖo mo kɔkɔe la, egɔmee nye agbe eye eƒe amenuveve le abe tsiɖoɖo le adame ene.
16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get knowledge is more to be desired than silver.
Aleke nunyaxɔxɔ mehenyo wu sikae o, eye gɔmesesetiatia mehenyo wu klosaloe o!
17 The highway of the upright is to be turned away from evil: he who takes care of his way will keep his soul.
Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe mɔtata ƒoa asa na nu vɔ̃ɖi eye ame si dzɔa eƒe mɔ ŋu la dzɔa eƒe agbe ŋuti.
18 Pride goes before destruction, and a stiff spirit before a fall.
Dada doa ŋgɔ na gbegblẽ eye ɖokuidodoɖedzi doa ŋgɔ na anyidzedze.
19 Better it is to have a gentle spirit with the poor, than to take part in the rewards of war with men of pride.
Enyo be woabɔbɔ ame ɖokui ɖe anyi le hiãtɔwo dome wu be woama afunyinuwo kple dadalawo.
20 He who gives attention to the law of right will get good; and whoever puts his faith in the Lord is happy.
Nu dzea edzi na ame si ɖoa to nufiame eye woayra ame si tsɔ eƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ da ɖe Yehowa dzi.
21 The wise-hearted will be named men of good sense: and by pleasing words learning is increased.
Woyɔa ame siwo nunya le woƒe dzi me la be sidzelawo, eye nya vivi doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
22 Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it; but the punishment of the foolish is their foolish behaviour.
Gɔmesese nye agbetsidzidzi na ame siwo ke ɖe eŋuti, ke bometsitsi hea tohehe vɛ na bometsilawo.
23 The heart of the wise man is the teacher of his mouth, and gives increased learning to his lips.
Nunyala ƒe dzi dzɔa eƒe nu ŋuti eye eƒe nuyiwo doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
24 Pleasing words are like honey, sweet to the soul and new life to the bones.
Nya nyuiwo nye anyitsito, enana luʋɔ sea vivi, eye wòhea dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na ƒuwo.
25 There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
Mɔ aɖe li si le dzɔdzɔe le ame ƒe ŋkume, ke le nuwuwua la, ekplɔa ame yia ku mee.
26 The desire of the working man is working for him, for his need of food is driving him on.
Agbatedɔwɔla ƒe nudzodzro wɔa dɔ nɛ, dɔwuame doa ŋusẽe be wòayi edzi.
27 A good-for-nothing man is a designer of evil, and in his lips there is a burning fire.
Yakame le nu vɔ̃ɖi ɖom eye eƒe nuƒoƒo le abe dzo si le bibim sesĩe la ene.
28 A man of twisted purposes is a cause of fighting everywhere: and he who says evil secretly makes trouble between friends.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi dea dzre aƒe eye amenyagblɔla maa xɔlɔ̃ veviwo dome.
29 A violent man puts desire of evil into his neighbour's mind, and makes him go in a way which is not good.
Ame dzeaglã blea eƒe aƒelika nu, eye wòkplɔnɛ toa mɔ gɔglɔ̃ dzi.
30 He whose eyes are shut is a man of twisted purposes, and he who keeps his lips shut tight makes evil come about.
Ame si le ŋku trom la le nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe ɖom, eye ame si mia eƒe nu ɖe nu dzi la awɔ vɔ̃ godoo.
31 The grey head is a crown of glory, if it is seen in the way of righteousness.
Ta si ƒo wɔ la nye atsyɔ̃fiakuku, agbe dzɔdzɔe nɔnɔe henɛ vɛ.
32 He who is slow to be angry is better than a man of war, and he who has control over his spirit than he who takes a town.
Enyo be nànye ŋutsu dzigbɔɖitɔ wu kalẽtɔ, ame si ɖu eƒe dziku dzi la nyo wu ame si xɔ du.
33 A thing may be put to the decision of chance, but it comes about through the Lord.
Wolɔa hotsui ɖe akɔ hetsɔna kaa nui, ke nyametsotso ɖe sia ɖe tso Yehowa gbɔ.
