< Proverbs 8 >
1 Behold, wisdom calleth, and understanding sendeth forth her voice,
Ɖe nunya mele ɣli dom le ame yɔm oa? Ɖe gɔmesese mekɔ eƒe gbe dzi oa?
2 On the top of high places, by the wayside, at the house where there are [many] paths doth she place herself.
Etsi tsitre ɖe kɔkɔƒe siwo le mɔto la tame, afi si afɔmɔwo do go le.
3 Alongside of gates, at the opening of the city, at the entrance of the town[-doors] doth she call loudly,
Ele tsitre ɖe dua ƒe agbowo ƒe mɔ xa kple agbo la me le ɣli dom sesĩe be,
4 Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice [goeth forth] to the sons of men,
“O ŋutsuwo, miawoe mele ɣli dom na eye mekɔ nye gbe dzi na amegbetɔƒomea katã.
5 Learn, O ye simple, to understand prudence: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Mi bebewuwo, midze nunya; mi bometsilawo gɔmesese nesu mia si.
6 Hear! for of noble things will I speak; and the opening of my lips shall be of what is equitable.
Miɖo to elabena nya xɔasiwo le asinye be magblɔ; meke nye nu be magblɔ nu si le dzɔdzɔe.
7 For truth uttereth my palate ever, and the abomination of my lips is wickedness.
Nye nu gblɔa nu si le eteƒe, elabena nye nuyi tsri vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi.
8 In righteousness are all the sayings of my mouth, there is in them nothing crooked or perverse.
Nye numenyawo katã le dzɔdzɔe; ɖeke meglɔ̃ alo nye ayemenya o.
9 They are all evident to the man of understanding, and correct to those that have obtained knowledge.
Wo katã le dzɔdzɔe na ame si si sidzedze le; fɔɖiɖi mele wo ŋu na ame siwo si gɔmesese le o.
10 Accept my correction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
Tia nye amehehe ɖe klosalo teƒe kple nye gɔmesese ɖe sika nyuitɔ teƒe
11 For wisdom is better than pearls; and all the things that men wish for are not equal to her.
elabena nunya xɔ asi wu adzagba eye nu siwo dim wò dzi le la ƒe ɖeke mesɔ kplii o.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and the knowledge of discreet thoughts do I discover.
“Nye, nunya kple ŋuɖɔɖoe nɔa teƒe ɖeka; gɔmesese kple sidzedze le asinye.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance, and the evil way: and the mouth of perverseness do I hate.
Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye be nàlé fu vɔ̃, eya ta metsri dada kple ɖokuidodoɖedzi, agbe baɖa nɔnɔ kple nya dzodzrowo gbɔgblɔ.
14 Mine are counsel and sound wisdom: I am understanding; mine is might.
Tɔnyee nye aɖaŋudede kple afia nyui tsotso, gɔmesese kple ŋusẽ le asinye.
15 Through me do kings reign, and chieftains give decrees [in] righteousness.
Dzinyee fiawo tona ɖua fia eye dziɖulawo dea se siwo le dzɔdzɔe.
16 Through me do princes rule, and the nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
Dzinyee dumegãwo tona kplɔa du eye nenema kee nye bubume siwo le dzi ɖum le anyigba dzi.
17 I indeed love those that love me: and those that seek me earnestly shall find me.
Melɔ̃a ame siwo lɔ̃am eye ame siwo diam la kpɔam.
18 Riches and honor are with me, yea, enduring wealth and righteousness.
Hotsui kple bubu bɔ ɖe asinye, nenema kee nye kesinɔnu siwo megblẽna o kple dzidzedze.
19 My fruit is better than gold, and than fine gold; and my products, than choice silver.
Nye kutsetse nyo wu sika nyuitɔ, eye nu si dona tso menye la ƒo klosalo nyuitɔ ta sãa.
20 On the road of righteousness do I walk firmly, in the midst the paths of justice:
Mezɔna le dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe mɔ dzi kple nuteƒewɔwɔ ƒe toƒewo,
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit a lasting possession; and their treasures will I fill
eye mekɔa kesinɔnu ɖe ame siwo lɔ̃am la dzi, henana woƒe nudzraɖoƒewo gbagbana.
22 The Lord created me as the beginning of his way, the first of his works from the commencement,
“Yehowa dzim abe eƒe nuwɔwɔwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔ ene, hafi wòava wɔ nuwo le blema.
23 From eternity was I appointed chief, from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
Etɔ asi dzinye tso mavɔ me ke, tso gɔmedzedzea me, hafi xexea me nava dzɔ.
24 When there were yet no depths, was I brought forth; when there were yet no springs laden heavily with water.
Wodzim esime atsiaƒuwo menɔ anyi o, eye vudo siwo dzia tsi fũu la hã menɔ anyi o.
25 Before the mountains were yet sunk down, before the hills was I brought forth:
Hafi woatsɔ towo ada ɖe woƒe nɔƒewo, eye togbɛwo nadzɔ la, nye la, wodzim xoxo.
26 While as yet he had not made the land and open fields, nor the chief of the dust of the world.
Hafi wòava wɔ anyigba alo gbegbe alo anyigbadziʋuʋudediwo gɔ̃ hã la, wodzim xoxo.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle over the face of the deep;
Menɔ afi ma hafi wòtsɔ dziƒowo ɖo wo nɔƒe eye wòdzidze dzite da ɖe gogloƒewo tame.
28 When he fastened the skies above; when the springs of the deep became strong;
Esi wòɖo lilikpowo ɖe dziƒo, eye wòli ke tɔ goglowo ƒe dzɔtsoƒe,
29 When he assigned to the sea his decree, that the waters should not transgress his order: when he established firmly the foundations of the earth:
esi wòɖo liƒo na atsiaƒu be eƒe tsiwo magbɔ teƒe si wòde se be woase la dzi o eye wòɖo anyigba gɔme la, medzɔ xoxo.
30 Then was I near him, as a nursling: and I was day by day [his] delights, playing before him at all times;
Ale menye aɖaŋudɔwɔla nɔ eƒe axadzi, dzidzɔ yɔ menye gbe sia gbe eye metsoa aseye le eŋkume ɣe sia ɣi.
31 Playing in the world, his earth; and having my delights with the sons of men.
Medzɔ dzi le eƒe xexe blibo la me eye amegbetɔwo ƒe nu do dzidzɔ nam.
32 And now, O children [of men], hearken unto me! for happy those that observe my ways.
“Eya ta, azɔ la, mi vinyewo, miɖo tom; woayra ame siwo lé nye mɔwo me ɖe asi.
33 Hear correction, and be wise, and reject it not.
Ɖo to nye sededewo eye nàdze nunya, mègado tokue o.
34 Happy is the man that hearkeneth unto me, watching day by day at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
Woayra ame si ɖoa tom, nɔa ŋudzɔ le nye ʋɔtru nu gbe sia gbe eye wòlalana le nye kpui nu
35 For he who findeth me findeth life, and he obtaineth favor from the Lord.
elabena ame si ke ɖe ŋutinye la, ke ɖe agbe ŋu eye wòxɔa amenuveve tso Yehowa gbɔ.
36 But he that sinneth against me doth violence to his own soul: all those that hate me love death.
Ke ame si mete ŋu ke ɖe ŋutinye o la, wɔa nu vevi eɖokui eye ame siwo katã léa fum la lɔ̃a ku.”