Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is noisy; and whosoever indulgeth therein will never be wise.
Wain nye fewuɖula eye aha muame nye avuwɔla, ame si wokplɔ trae la menya nu o.
2 Like the roaring of a young lion is the dread of a king: 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 honor for a man to cease from a contest; but every fool enrageth himself.
Bubu wònye na ŋutsu ne eƒo asa na dzre gake bometsila ɖe sia ɖe wɔa dzre kabakaba.
4 Because it is winter's cold, will the sluggard not plough: when he therefore seeketh in the harvest time, there will be nothing.
Kuviatɔ meŋlɔa agble le agbledeɣi o, eya ta edia nu le nuŋeɣi doa kpoe.
5 Like deep water is counsel in the heart of man; but the 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 kindness; but who can find a faithful man?
Ŋutsu geɖewo gblɔna be lɔlɔ̃ matrɔ le yewo si gake ame ka ate ŋu akpɔ ŋutsu nuteƒewɔla?
7 The righteous walketh in his integrity: happy will be his children after him.
Ame dzɔdzɔe nɔa agbe si ŋu kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele o; yayra anɔ viawo dzi emegbe gɔ̃ hã.
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of justice scattereth away with his eyes all evil.
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 pure, I am cleansed 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, are both of them alike an abomination of the Lord.
Yehowa lé fu nudakpe vovovo eve kple nudzidzenu vovovo eve siaa.
11 Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, whether his work will be pure, and whether it will be upright.
Wonyaa ɖevi gɔ̃ hã to eƒe nuwɔna me, ne ele agbe dzadzɛ eye eƒe nuwɔnawo le eteƒe.
12 The ear that heareth, and the eye that seeth, the Lord hath made both of them alike.
Yehowa wɔ to si sea nu kple ŋku si kpɔa nu la siaa.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty: open thy eyes, so wilt thou 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 bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then doth he boast.
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 pearls; but a precious vessel are the lips of knowledge.
Sika li, adzagba hã li fũu gake nuyi siwo gblɔa nunyanya la, kpe xɔasi veviwo wonye.
16 Take away his garment, because he hath become surety for a stranger; and on account of a strange woman take a pledge from him.
Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe ɖo awɔbae ne eda megbe na nyɔnu gbolowɔla.
17 Bread of falsehood is pleasant to a man; but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel-stones.
Nuɖuɖu si wokpɔ to amefuflu me la vivina na ŋutsu, gake le nuwuwu la, eƒe nu me yɔna kple kpekui sɔŋ.
18 Plans are established by counsel; and with wise reflection conduct 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 enticeth 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 quenched in obscure darkness.
Ne ŋutsu do ɖiŋu na fofoa alo dadaa la, woatsi eƒe akaɖi ne ele viviti tsiɖitsiɖi me.
21 An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning will at its end not be blessed,
Domenyinu si wokpɔ to mɔ kpui dzi le gɔmedzedzea me la, yayra manɔ edzi le nuwuwua o.
22 Do not say, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the Lord, and he will help 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 of the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good.
Yehowa lé fu nudakpe ƒomevi vovovowo eye nudanu amebatɔ hã menyoa Yehowa ŋu o.
24 From the Lord are the steps of man [ordained]; but man— how can he 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 a man to sanctify things hastily, and to make inquiry only after having made vows.
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 turneth over them the threshing-wheel.
Fia nyanu gbɔa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòzɔa wo dzi kple luƒotasiaɖam.
27 A lamp of the Lord is the soul of man, searching all the inner chambers of the body.
Yehowa ƒe akaɖi kpɔa ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ me eye wòdzroa eƒe ememe ke kpɔ.
28 Kindness and truth will watch over a king, and he will prop up through kindness his throne.
Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nana fia nɔa dedinɔnɔ me eye to lɔlɔ̃ me eƒe fiazikpui lia ke.
29 The ornament of young men is their strength; and the glory of old men is a hoary head.
Ɖekakpuiwo ƒe ŋusẽe nye woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe eye ta ƒowɔ nye ame tsitsiwo ƒe atsyɔ̃.
30 The bruises of a wound are cleansing means for the bad, and stripes [will reach] the inner chambers of the body.
Kɔ kple abixɔxɔ ɖea vɔ̃ ɖa eye ƒoƒo klɔa ame ƒe ememe ke.
