Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Wain nye fewuɖula eye aha muame nye avuwɔla, ame si wokplɔ trae la menya nu o.
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
Fia ƒe dziku doa vɔvɔ̃ abe dzata ƒe gbetete ene ame si do dziku nɛ la bua eƒe agbe.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
Bubu wònye na ŋutsu ne eƒo asa na dzre gake bometsila ɖe sia ɖe wɔa dzre kabakaba.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Kuviatɔ meŋlɔa agble le agbledeɣi o, eya ta edia nu le nuŋeɣi doa kpoe.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Ŋutsu ƒe tameɖoɖowo nye tɔ goglo, gake ame si si nugɔmesese su la akui wòavɔ.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
Ŋutsu geɖewo gblɔna be lɔlɔ̃ matrɔ le yewo si gake ame ka ate ŋu akpɔ ŋutsu nuteƒewɔla?
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
Ame dzɔdzɔe nɔa agbe si ŋu kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele o; yayra anɔ viawo dzi emegbe gɔ̃ hã.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Ne fia nɔ anyi ɖe eƒe fiazikpui dzi be yeadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu la, eɖe vɔ̃wo katã ɖa kple eƒe ŋkuwo.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ bena, “Mewɔ nye dzi dzadzɛe, ŋutinye kɔ eye vɔ̃ mele ŋutinye o?”
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to Yhwh.
Yehowa lé fu nudakpe vovovo eve kple nudzidzenu vovovo eve siaa.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Wonyaa ɖevi gɔ̃ hã to eƒe nuwɔna me, ne ele agbe dzadzɛ eye eƒe nuwɔnawo le eteƒe.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yhwh hath made even both of them.
Yehowa wɔ to si sea nu kple ŋku si kpɔa nu la siaa.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Mègalɔ̃ alɔ̃ tsu dɔdɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, àva zu hiãtɔ, nɔ ŋu ekema àɖu nu wòasusɔ.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
Nuƒlela gblɔna be, “Menyo o, menyo o,” emegbe la, eyina ɖanɔa adegbe ƒom be yeƒle nu ɖiɖi.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
Sika li, adzagba hã li fũu gake nuyi siwo gblɔa nunyanya la, kpe xɔasi veviwo wonye.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe ɖo awɔbae ne eda megbe na nyɔnu gbolowɔla.
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Nuɖuɖu si wokpɔ to amefuflu me la vivina na ŋutsu, gake le nuwuwu la, eƒe nu me yɔna kple kpekui sɔŋ.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
Wɔ ɖoɖo to aɖaŋuxɔxɔ me, ne èle aʋa wɔm la, bia mɔfiame.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla eya ta ƒo asa na ŋutsu nukpoloeƒola.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
Ne ŋutsu do ɖiŋu na fofoa alo dadaa la, woatsi eƒe akaɖi ne ele viviti tsiɖitsiɖi me.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
Domenyinu si wokpɔ to mɔ kpui dzi le gɔmedzedzea me la, yayra manɔ edzi le nuwuwua o.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on Yhwh, and he shall save thee.
Mègagblɔ be, “Maɖo vɔ̃ si nèwɔ ɖe ŋunye la teƒe na wò” o! Kpɔ Yehowa ƒe asinu ekema aɖe wò.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto Yhwh; and a false balance is not good.
Yehowa lé fu nudakpe ƒomevi vovovowo eye nudanu amebatɔ hã menyoa Yehowa ŋu o.
24 Man’s goings are of Yhwh; how can a man then understand his own way?
Yehowa fiaa afɔɖeɖe ame, ke aleke ame aɖe awɔ ase eya ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo gɔme?
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
Mɔ wònye na ame ne ekɔ nane ŋu tamemabumabutɔe eye emegbe hafi wòva bu adzɔgbe si wòɖe la ŋuti.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
Fia nyanu gbɔa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòzɔa wo dzi kple luƒotasiaɖam.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of Yhwh, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
Yehowa ƒe akaɖi kpɔa ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ me eye wòdzroa eƒe ememe ke kpɔ.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nana fia nɔa dedinɔnɔ me eye to lɔlɔ̃ me eƒe fiazikpui lia ke.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
Ɖekakpuiwo ƒe ŋusẽe nye woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe eye ta ƒowɔ nye ame tsitsiwo ƒe atsyɔ̃.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Kɔ kple abixɔxɔ ɖea vɔ̃ ɖa eye ƒoƒo klɔa ame ƒe ememe ke.
