Proverbs 21
1 As a rush of water, so is the king's heart in God's hand: he turns it wherever he may desire to point out.
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 Every man seems to himself righteous; but the Lord directs the hearts.
Ŋutsu ƒe mɔwo katã dzea eŋu gake Yehowae daa dziwo kpɔ.
3 To do justly and to speak truth, are more pleasing to God than the blood of sacrifices.
Nu dzɔdzɔe kple nu si le eteƒe wɔwɔ doa dzidzɔ na Yehowa wu vɔsa.
4 A high-minded man is stout-hearted in [his] pride; and the lamp of the wicked is sin.
Ŋku gã kple dzi si me dada le lae nye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe akaɖi, evɔ wòhenye nu vɔ̃.
Vevidonula ƒe ɖoɖoɖowo hea viɖe vɛ nenema kee dzitsitsi hea ahedada vɛ.
6 He that gathers treasures with a lying tongue pursues vanity [on] to the snares of death.
Kesinɔnu si wotsɔ alakpaɖe kpɔe la nu va yina kaba abe ƒuƒu ene eye wònye mɔ si ŋu aɖi vɔ̃ɖi le.
7 Destruction shall lodge with the ungodly; for they refuse to do justly.
Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ ahe wo adzoe elabena wogbe be yewomawɔ nu nyui o.
8 To the froward God sends froward ways; for his works are pure and right.
Fɔɖila ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ gake fɔmaɖila ƒe nuwɔwɔ le dzɔdzɔe.
9 [It is] better to dwell in a corner on the house-top, than in plastered [rooms] with unrighteousness, and in an open house.
Enyo be woanɔ dzogoe dzi le xɔta wu be woanɔ xɔ ɖeka me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla.
10 The soul of the ungodly shall not be pitied by any man.
Nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ dzroa ame vɔ̃ɖi vevie, mekpɔa nublanui na ehavi o.
11 When an intemperate man is punished the simple becomes wiser: and a wise man understanding will receive knowledge.
Ne wohe to na fewuɖula la, bometsilawo dzea nunya; ne wofia nu nunyala la, sidzedze sua esi.
12 A righteous man understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness.
Dzɔdzɔetɔ la ɖea ŋku ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe aƒe ŋu, eye wòhea gbegblẽ vaa ame vɔ̃ɖi la dzi.
13 He that stops his ears from hearing the poor, himself also shall cry, and there shall be none to hear [him].
Ne ame aɖe do toku ame dahe ƒe ɣlidodo la, ne eya hã do ɣli la, ame aɖeke masee nɛ o.
14 A secret gift calms anger: but he that forbears to give stirs up strong wrath.
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 [It is] the joy of the righteous to do judgment: but a holy [man] is abominable with evil-doers.
Afia nyui tsotso hea dzidzɔ vɛ na ame dzɔdzɔe, ke ehea ŋɔdzi vɛ na vɔ̃ wɔlawo.
16 A man that wanders out of the way of righteousness, shall rest in the congregation of giants.
Ŋutsu si tra tso gɔmesese ƒe mɔ dzi la va dzudzɔna le ame kukuwo ƒe ha me.
17 A poor man loves mirth, loving wine and oil in abundance;
Ame si lɔ̃a agbeɖuɖu la azu hiãtɔ eye ame si lɔ̃a wain kple ami la makpɔ hotsui o.
18 and a transgressor is the abomination of a righteous man.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi zua avulénu ɖe ame dzɔdzɔe teƒe eye nenema ke nuteƒemawɔla ɖea nuteƒewɔla nu.
19 [It is] better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and talkative and passionate woman.
Enyo be nànɔ dzogbe wu be nànɔ anyi kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla kple dɔmedzoedola.
20 A desirable treasure will rest on the mouth of the wise; but foolish men will swallow it up.
Nuɖuɖu vivi kple ami bɔ ɖe nunyala ƒe aƒe me fũu, gake bometsila ɖua nu sia nu si le esi.
21 The way of righteousness and mercy will find life and glory.
Ame si tia dzɔdzɔenyenye kple lɔlɔ̃ la, tia agbe, dzidzedze kple bubu.
22 A wise man assaults strong cities, and demolishes the fortress in which the ungodly trusted.
Nunyala dze kalẽtɔ ƒe du dzi eye wòmu mɔ sesẽ si ŋu wole dzi ɖom ɖo la ƒu anyi.
23 He that keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from trouble.
Ame si kpɔa eƒe nu kple eƒe aɖe dzi la, ɖea eɖokui tso dzɔgbevɔ̃e me.
24 A bold and self-willed and insolent [man] is called a pest: and he that remembers injuries is a transgressor.
Ŋutsu dadala, ɖokuiŋudzela, si wɔa nu tovo kple dada la, eyae woyɔna be, “Fewuɖula.”
25 Desires kill the sluggard; for his hands do not choose to do anything.
Kuviatɔ ƒe nudzodzro ahe ku vɛ nɛ, elabena eƒe asiwo gbe be yewomawɔ dɔ o.
26 An ungodly man entertains evil desires all the day: but the righteous is unsparingly merciful and compassionate.
Ele nu dzrom ŋkeke blibo la, ke ame dzɔdzɔe la nana faa, eye metea ame o.
27 The sacrifices of the ungodly are abomination to the Lord, for they offer them wickedly.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe vɔsa nye ŋunyɔnu, kaka wòahanye be etsɔe vɛ kple susu vɔ̃ɖi.
28 A false witness shall perish; but an obedient man will speak cautiously.
Aʋatsoɖasefo atsrɔ̃ eye ame si ɖoa toe la atsrɔ̃ gbidigbidi.
29 An ungodly man impudently withstands with his face; but the upright man himself understands his ways.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa mo kplala ɖi, ke dzɔdzɔetɔ léa ŋku ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu.
30 There is no wisdom, there is no courage, there is no counsel against the ungodly.
Nunya, gɔmesese kple ɖoɖo aɖeke meli si adze edzi o, ne etsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa ŋu.
31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle; but help is of the Lord.
Woblaa akpa na sɔ ɖe aʋakpegbe ŋu, gake Yehowa ƒe asimee dziɖuɖu ya le.
