Proverbs 6
1 My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
Vinye, ne ède megbe na wò aƒelika, eye nèsi akpe tsɔ do ŋugbee na ame tutɔ,
2 then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
ne ŋugbe si nèdo zu mɔ me nèɖo eye wò numenyawo bla wò la,
3 So this is what you have to do. You need to get out of it, because you've put yourself in that person's power. Go to your neighbor in all humility and ask him to release you from the commitment.
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 Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
Wò ŋkuwo megadɔ alɔ̃ o eye wò aɖaba megadɔ akɔlɔ̃e o.
5 Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
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 and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
Wò, kuviatɔ, yi anyidi gbɔ; kpɔ eƒe mɔwo ɖa, eye nàdze nunya!
7 They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
Gbeɖela loo dzikpɔla alo dziɖula aɖeke mele esi o,
8 yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
gake le dzomeŋɔli la eƒoa eƒe nuhiahiãwo nu ƒu eye wòƒoa eƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le nuŋeɣi.
9 So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
Wò, kuviatɔ va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi nàmlɔ afi ma? Ɣe ka ɣi nànyɔ tso alɔ̃ me?
10 You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
Dɔ alɔ̃ vie, dɔ akɔlɔ̃e sẽe, ŋlɔ wò abɔwo nàdzudzɔ vie,
11 and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
tete ahedada aƒo ɖe dziwò abe adzodala ene eye hiã abe aʋakalẽtɔ si bla akpa ene.
12 Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
Yakame kple ame baɖa si le yiyim kple alakpadada,
13 winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
le ŋku tem, tsɔ afɔ le dzesi fiam eye wòtsɔ eƒe asi le nya gblɔmii,
14 Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
ame si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖi, beble le eƒe dzi me, eye ɣe sia ɣi wòdea dzre aƒe la
15 As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
eya ta gbegblẽ aƒo ɖe edzi kpoyi eye woatsrɔ̃ eya amea zi ɖeka, naneke maɖee le eme o.
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
Nu adree Yehowa tsri, eye nu adree nye nu siwo wònyɔa ŋui:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
dadaŋkuwo, alakpaɖe, asi siwo kɔa ʋu maɖifɔ ɖi,
18 a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
dzi si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖiwo, afɔ siwo ɖea abla ɖe vɔ̃wɔwɔ ŋuti
19 a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
aʋatsoɖaseɖila si kɔa alakpa ɖi, kple ŋutsu si dea dzre nɔviwo dome.
20 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Vinye, lé fofowò ƒe sededewo me ɖe asi eye mègagblẽ dawò ƒe nufiame ɖi o.
21 Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
Bla wo ɖe wò dzi ŋuti tegbee eye nàsae ɖe wò kɔ ŋuti.
22 They will lead you as you walk along; they will watch over you as you sleep; when you wake up they will 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 instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
elabena sedede siawo nye akaɖi, nufiafia sia nye kekeli eye ɖɔɖɔɖo si amehehe hena vɛ la nye agbe ƒe mɔ,
24 It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
esi aɖe wò tso nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe asi me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzego la ƒe aɖe ŋanɛ ƒe asi me.
25 Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
Eƒe tugbedzedze megana eƒe nu nadzro wò le wò dzi me alo nàna eƒe ŋku mawo nalé wò o,
26 You can buy a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery with another man's wife can cost you your life.
elabena gbolo aɖi gbɔ̃ wò, nànɔ abe abolo ko ene eye nyɔnu ahasitɔ aɖe agbe le mewò.
27 Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe aɖe dzo ɖe atata eye eƒe awuwo nagbe fiafia?
28 Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe azɔ le dzoka xɔxɔ dzi eye eƒe afɔwo nagbe fiafia?
29 It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
Nenemae wòanɔ na ŋutsu si dɔna kple ŋutsu bubu srɔ̃, womagbe tohehe na ame si ka asi eŋuti o.
30 People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
Womedoa vlo fiafitɔ ne efi fi be wòatsɔ atsi eƒe dɔwuame nu, ne dɔ la ewum o
31 But if he's caught, he has to pay back seven times what he stole, even if it means handing over everything he has 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 Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
Ke ame si wɔ ahasi kple srɔ̃tɔ la mebua ta me o eye ame si wɔnɛ la gblẽa eɖokui dome.
33 He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
Ƒoƒo kple kɔ kple vlododo nye etɔ gome eye womaɖe eƒe ŋukpe ɖa akpɔ gbeɖe o
34 For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
elabena ŋuʋaʋã ana srɔ̃ŋutsu ƒe dɔmedzoe nafla eye ne ele hlɔ̃ biam la, makpɔ nublanui o.
35 He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
Maxɔ avulénu aɖeke o, eye maxɔ zãnu aɖeke hã o, aleke gbegbee wòloloe hã.
