Proverbs 18
1 He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
Ɖokuitɔdila dia eɖokui ko tɔ eye meɖoa to nunyanya siwo gblɔm wole la o.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
Bometsila medoa vivi ɖe gɔmesese ŋu o, ke boŋ ekpɔa dzidzɔ le eya ŋutɔ ƒe susuɖegblɔ ŋu.
3 Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
Ne vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi va la, vlododo kplɔnɛ ɖo eye ne alɔmeɖeɖe va la, ŋukpe dzea eyome.
4 The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
Ame ƒe numenyawo nye tɔ goglo, ke nunya ƒe vudo nye ta si le dzidzim.
5 Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
Menyo be woade ame vɔ̃ɖi dzi alo atrɔ ame maɖifɔ ƒe nya dzɔdzɔe atsyɔ anyi o.
6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
Bometsila ƒe nuyiwo denɛ dzre me eye eƒe nu hea ƒoƒo vaa edzii.
7 The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
Nu si bometsila ƒe nu gblɔ la, metso eya ŋutɔ gbɔ o, eye eƒe nuyi nye mɔka na eƒe luʋɔ.
8 The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
Amenyagblɔla ƒe nyawo vivina abe nuɖuɖu vivi si woka de nu me la ene; woyina ɖe ame ƒe dɔgbowo me ke.
9 He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
Ame si wɔa alɔgblɔdɔ le eƒe dɔ ŋuti la nye nugblẽla nɔvi.
10 The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
Yehowa ƒe ŋkɔ nye mɔ sesẽ, ame dzɔdzɔewo sina yia eme eye wonɔa dedie.
11 The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
Kesinɔtɔwo ƒe kesinɔnuwo nye woƒe du sesẽ eye wobuna be wonye gli kɔkɔ si ame aɖeke mate ŋu aflɔ o.
12 The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
Hafi ame aɖe nadze anyi la, dada nɔa eƒe dzi me, ke ɖokuibɔbɔ doa ŋgɔ na bubu.
13 Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
Enye bometsitsi kple ŋukpe na ame, be wòaɖo nya ŋu hafi ase nu si gblɔm wole.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
Ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ lénɛ ɖe te le dɔléle me, ke ame ka ate ŋu atsɔ gbɔgbɔ si gbã gudugudu?
15 The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Sidzela ƒe dzi kpɔa gɔmesese eye nunyala ƒe to dia gɔmesese.
16 The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
Nunana ʋua mɔ na nunala eye wòkplɔnɛ gena ɖe amegã la ƒe ŋkumee.
17 The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
Ame gbãtɔ si to eƒe nya la dzena dzɔdzɔetɔe va se ɖe esime ame aɖe va bia gbee.
18 The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
Nudzidze tsia dzre nu eye wòtsoa nya me na ame sesẽ siwo le dzre wɔm.
19 A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
Nɔviŋutsu si dzi wodze agɔ le la sẽ wu du si ŋu woɖo gli sesẽ ɖo eye dzrewɔwɔ le abe fiasã si ƒe agbowo ŋu wode gameti sesẽwoe ene.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
Ame ƒe numekutsetse ɖia ƒo nɛ eye nuŋeŋe si doa go tso eƒe nuyiwo me la ana eƒe dzi nadze eme.
21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
Ku kple agbe ƒe ŋusẽ le aɖe si, eye ame siwo lɔ̃e la aɖu eƒe kutsetse.
22 [Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
Ame si si srɔ̃nyɔnu su la ke ɖe nu nyui ŋu eye wòxɔa amenuveve tso Yehowa gbɔ.
23 The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
Ame dahe ɖea kuku biaa nublanuikpɔkpɔ, ke kesinɔtɔ ya ɖoa nya ŋu adãtɔe.
24 A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
Ame si si xɔlɔ̃ geɖe le la ate ŋu awu nu le gbegblẽ me, gake xɔlɔ̃ aɖe li si kuna ɖe ame ŋu wu dadavi gɔ̃ hã.
