Proverbs 21
1 The Lord directs the king's decisions like a stream of water that he sends whichever way he wants.
Fia la ƒe dzi le Yehowa ƒe asi me; efiaa mɔe wòtoa afi sia afi si wòlɔ̃ la abe ale si woɖea toƒe na tsi si si tso tsidzɔtsoƒe ene.
2 People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their motives.
Ŋutsu ƒe mɔwo katã dzea eŋu gake Yehowae daa dziwo kpɔ.
3 Doing what's right and fair pleases the Lord more than sacrifices.
Nu dzɔdzɔe kple nu si le eteƒe wɔwɔ doa dzidzɔ na Yehowa wu vɔsa.
4 Pride and arrogance are the sins the wicked live by.
Ŋku gã kple dzi si me dada le lae nye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe akaɖi, evɔ wòhenye nu vɔ̃.
5 Those who plan ahead and work hard will have plenty, while those who act rashly end up poor.
Vevidonula ƒe ɖoɖoɖowo hea viɖe vɛ nenema kee dzitsitsi hea ahedada vɛ.
6 Money made by lies is like smoke in the wind—a chase that ends in death.
Kesinɔnu si wotsɔ alakpaɖe kpɔe la nu va yina kaba abe ƒuƒu ene eye wònye mɔ si ŋu aɖi vɔ̃ɖi le.
7 The destruction caused by the wicked will destroy them, for they refuse to do what's right.
Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ ahe wo adzoe elabena wogbe be yewomawɔ nu nyui o.
8 Guilty people live crooked lives, but the innocent follow straight paths.
Fɔɖila ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ gake fɔmaɖila ƒe nuwɔwɔ le dzɔdzɔe.
9 It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
Enyo be woanɔ dzogoe dzi le xɔta wu be woanɔ xɔ ɖeka me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla.
10 Evil people love to do wrong, they don't care what pain they cause anyone.
Nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ dzroa ame vɔ̃ɖi vevie, mekpɔa nublanui na ehavi o.
11 When a mocker is punished, an immature person can learn wisdom. When the wise are educated, they gain knowledge.
Ne wohe to na fewuɖula la, bometsilawo dzea nunya; ne wofia nu nunyala la, sidzedze sua esi.
12 The God of justice sees what happens in the homes of the wicked, and brings the wicked down in disaster.
Dzɔdzɔetɔ la ɖea ŋku ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe aƒe ŋu, eye wòhea gbegblẽ vaa ame vɔ̃ɖi la dzi.
13 If you refuse to hear the cries of the poor, your cries won't be heard either.
Ne ame aɖe do toku ame dahe ƒe ɣlidodo la, ne eya hã do ɣli la, ame aɖeke masee nɛ o.
14 A gift given in secret calms down anger, and a hidden bribe soothes furious rage.
Nunana si wona le adzame la faa dziku nu eye zãnu si woɣla ɖe awu ʋlaya te hafi tsɔ vɛ la léa avu dziku helĩhelĩ.
15 When justice is done, the good are happy, but it brings terror to those who do evil.
Afia nyui tsotso hea dzidzɔ vɛ na ame dzɔdzɔe, ke ehea ŋɔdzi vɛ na vɔ̃ wɔlawo.
16 Anyone who wanders away from the path of understanding ends up with the dead.
Ŋutsu si tra tso gɔmesese ƒe mɔ dzi la va dzudzɔna le ame kukuwo ƒe ha me.
17 If you love pleasure you'll become poor; if you love wine and olive oil you won't ever be rich.
Ame si lɔ̃a agbeɖuɖu la azu hiãtɔ eye ame si lɔ̃a wain kple ami la makpɔ hotsui o.
18 The wicked pay the price and not the good; those who are deceitful and not those who live right.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi zua avulénu ɖe ame dzɔdzɔe teƒe eye nenema ke nuteƒemawɔla ɖea nuteƒewɔla nu.
19 It's better to live in a desert than with an argumentative and bad-tempered wife.
Enyo be nànɔ dzogbe wu be nànɔ anyi kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla kple dɔmedzoedola.
20 The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.
Nuɖuɖu vivi kple ami bɔ ɖe nunyala ƒe aƒe me fũu, gake bometsila ɖua nu sia nu si le esi.
21 If you pursue goodness and trustworthy love, you'll find life, prosperity, and honor.
Ame si tia dzɔdzɔenyenye kple lɔlɔ̃ la, tia agbe, dzidzedze kple bubu.
22 The wise can overcome a city belonging to strong warriors, and tear down the fortress they trusted to protect them.
Nunyala dze kalẽtɔ ƒe du dzi eye wòmu mɔ sesẽ si ŋu wole dzi ɖom ɖo la ƒu anyi.
23 If you watch what you say, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.
Ame si kpɔa eƒe nu kple eƒe aɖe dzi la, ɖea eɖokui tso dzɔgbevɔ̃e me.
24 A proud, conceited, mocker—that's the name of those who act with insolent arrogance.
Ŋutsu dadala, ɖokuiŋudzela, si wɔa nu tovo kple dada la, eyae woyɔna be, “Fewuɖula.”
25 Slackers die hungry because they refuse to work.
Kuviatɔ ƒe nudzodzro ahe ku vɛ nɛ, elabena eƒe asiwo gbe be yewomawɔ dɔ o.
26 Some people only want more and more all the time, but the good give generously.
Ele nu dzrom ŋkeke blibo la, ke ame dzɔdzɔe la nana faa, eye metea ame o.
27 The sacrifices given by the wicked are obnoxious, worse still when they're offered with evil motives.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe vɔsa nye ŋunyɔnu, kaka wòahanye be etsɔe vɛ kple susu vɔ̃ɖi.
28 The lies of a false witness vanish away, but the words of a reliable witness will stand.
Aʋatsoɖasefo atsrɔ̃ eye ame si ɖoa toe la atsrɔ̃ gbidigbidi.
29 The wicked act as bold as brass, but those who live right consider carefully what they're doing.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa mo kplala ɖi, ke dzɔdzɔetɔ léa ŋku ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu.
30 Whatever wisdom, understanding, or guidance you may have is nothing before the Lord.
Nunya, gɔmesese kple ɖoɖo aɖeke meli si adze edzi o, ne etsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa ŋu.
31 You can get your horse ready for battle, but the victory is the Lord's.
Woblaa akpa na sɔ ɖe aʋakpegbe ŋu, gake Yehowa ƒe asimee dziɖuɖu ya le.
