Proverbs 6
1 My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
Vinye, ne ède megbe na wò aƒelika, eye nèsi akpe tsɔ do ŋugbee na ame tutɔ,
2 You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
ne ŋugbe si nèdo zu mɔ me nèɖo eye wò numenyawo bla wò la,
3 Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.
ekema vinye, wɔ esia ne nàtsɔ aɖe ɖokuiwòe, esi nège ɖe hawòvi ƒe asi me ta. Yi nàbɔbɔ ɖokuiwò, ɖe kuku na hawòvi la amenubletɔe!
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
Wò ŋkuwo megadɔ alɔ̃ o eye wò aɖaba megadɔ akɔlɔ̃e o.
5 Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
Ɖe ɖokuiwò le eƒe asi me abe ale si sãde sina le adela ƒe asi me ene alo abe ale si xevi dona le xevimɔtrela ƒe kamɔ mee ene.
6 Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
Wò, kuviatɔ, yi anyidi gbɔ; kpɔ eƒe mɔwo ɖa, eye nàdze nunya!
7 Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
Gbeɖela loo dzikpɔla alo dziɖula aɖeke mele esi o,
8 She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
gake le dzomeŋɔli la eƒoa eƒe nuhiahiãwo nu ƒu eye wòƒoa eƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le nuŋeɣi.
9 How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
Wò, kuviatɔ va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi nàmlɔ afi ma? Ɣe ka ɣi nànyɔ tso alɔ̃ me?
10 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
Dɔ alɔ̃ vie, dɔ akɔlɔ̃e sẽe, ŋlɔ wò abɔwo nàdzudzɔ vie,
11 Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
tete ahedada aƒo ɖe dziwò abe adzodala ene eye hiã abe aʋakalẽtɔ si bla akpa ene.
12 A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
Yakame kple ame baɖa si le yiyim kple alakpadada,
13 Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
le ŋku tem, tsɔ afɔ le dzesi fiam eye wòtsɔ eƒe asi le nya gblɔmii,
14 His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
ame si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖi, beble le eƒe dzi me, eye ɣe sia ɣi wòdea dzre aƒe la
15 For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
eya ta gbegblẽ aƒo ɖe edzi kpoyi eye woatsrɔ̃ eya amea zi ɖeka, naneke maɖee le eme o.
16 Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
Nu adree Yehowa tsri, eye nu adree nye nu siwo wònyɔa ŋui:
17 Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
dadaŋkuwo, alakpaɖe, asi siwo kɔa ʋu maɖifɔ ɖi,
18 A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
dzi si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖiwo, afɔ siwo ɖea abla ɖe vɔ̃wɔwɔ ŋuti
19 A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
aʋatsoɖaseɖila si kɔa alakpa ɖi, kple ŋutsu si dea dzre nɔviwo dome.
20 My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
Vinye, lé fofowò ƒe sededewo me ɖe asi eye mègagblẽ dawò ƒe nufiame ɖi o.
21 Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
Bla wo ɖe wò dzi ŋuti tegbee eye nàsae ɖe wò kɔ ŋuti.
22 In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.
Ne èle zɔzɔm la, woafia mɔ wò, ne èle alɔ̃ dɔm la, woadzɔ ŋuwò eye ne ènyɔ la, woaƒo nu na wò
23 For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
elabena sedede siawo nye akaɖi, nufiafia sia nye kekeli eye ɖɔɖɔɖo si amehehe hena vɛ la nye agbe ƒe mɔ,
24 They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
esi aɖe wò tso nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe asi me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzego la ƒe aɖe ŋanɛ ƒe asi me.
25 Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
Eƒe tugbedzedze megana eƒe nu nadzro wò le wò dzi me alo nàna eƒe ŋku mawo nalé wò o,
26 For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
elabena gbolo aɖi gbɔ̃ wò, nànɔ abe abolo ko ene eye nyɔnu ahasitɔ aɖe agbe le mewò.
27 May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe aɖe dzo ɖe atata eye eƒe awuwo nagbe fiafia?
28 Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe azɔ le dzoka xɔxɔ dzi eye eƒe afɔwo nagbe fiafia?
29 So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.
Nenemae wòanɔ na ŋutsu si dɔna kple ŋutsu bubu srɔ̃, womagbe tohehe na ame si ka asi eŋuti o.
30 Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
Womedoa vlo fiafitɔ ne efi fi be wòatsɔ atsi eƒe dɔwuame nu, ne dɔ la ewum o
31 But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.
gake ne wolée la, ele nɛ be wòaɖo nua teƒe zi adre, esia ana eƒe kesinɔnu siwo katã le esi le eƒe aƒe me la navɔ le esi.
32 He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
Ke ame si wɔ ahasi kple srɔ̃tɔ la mebua ta me o eye ame si wɔnɛ la gblẽa eɖokui dome.
33 Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
Ƒoƒo kple kɔ kple vlododo nye etɔ gome eye womaɖe eƒe ŋukpe ɖa akpɔ gbeɖe o
34 For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
elabena ŋuʋaʋã ana srɔ̃ŋutsu ƒe dɔmedzoe nafla eye ne ele hlɔ̃ biam la, makpɔ nublanui o.
35 He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
Maxɔ avulénu aɖeke o, eye maxɔ zãnu aɖeke hã o, aleke gbegbee wòloloe hã.
