Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it 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] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be angry is wronging his soul.
Fia ƒe dziku doa vɔvɔ̃ abe dzata ƒe gbetete ene ame si do dziku nɛ la bua eƒe agbe.
3 Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
Bubu wònye na ŋutsu ne eƒo asa na dzre gake bometsila ɖe sia ɖe wɔa dzre kabakaba.
4 The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
Kuviatɔ meŋlɔa agble le agbledeɣi o, eya ta edia nu le nuŋeɣi doa kpoe.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
Ŋutsu ƒe tameɖoɖowo nye tɔ goglo, gake ame si si nugɔmesese su la akui wòavɔ.
6 A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
Ŋutsu geɖewo gblɔna be lɔlɔ̃ matrɔ le yewo si gake ame ka ate ŋu akpɔ ŋutsu nuteƒewɔla?
7 The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
Ame dzɔdzɔe nɔa agbe si ŋu kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele o; yayra anɔ viawo dzi emegbe gɔ̃ hã.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering 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 says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
Ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ bena, “Mewɔ nye dzi dzadzɛe, ŋutinye kɔ eye vɔ̃ mele ŋutinye o?”
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
Yehowa lé fu nudakpe vovovo eve kple nudzidzenu vovovo eve siaa.
11 Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
Wonyaa ɖevi gɔ̃ hã to eƒe nuwɔna me, ne ele agbe dzadzɛ eye eƒe nuwɔnawo le eteƒe.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
Yehowa wɔ to si sea nu kple ŋku si kpɔa nu la siaa.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
Mègalɔ̃ alɔ̃ tsu dɔdɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, àva zu hiãtɔ, nɔ ŋu ekema àɖu nu wòasusɔ.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
Nuƒlela gblɔna be, “Menyo o, menyo o,” emegbe la, eyina ɖanɔa adegbe ƒom be yeƒle nu ɖiɖi.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
Sika li, adzagba hã li fũu gake nuyi siwo gblɔa nunyanya la, kpe xɔasi veviwo wonye.
16 When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe ɖo awɔbae ne eda megbe na nyɔnu gbolowɔla.
17 The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is 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 You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
Wɔ ɖoɖo to aɖaŋuxɔxɔ me, ne èle aʋa wɔm la, bia mɔfiame.
19 The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla eya ta ƒo asa na ŋutsu nukpoloeƒola.
20 Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
Ne ŋutsu do ɖiŋu na fofoa alo dadaa la, woatsi eƒe akaɖi ne ele viviti tsiɖitsiɖi me.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
Domenyinu si wokpɔ to mɔ kpui dzi le gɔmedzedzea me la, yayra manɔ edzi le nuwuwua o.
22 Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
Mègagblɔ be, “Maɖo vɔ̃ si nèwɔ ɖe ŋunye la teƒe na wò” o! Kpɔ Yehowa ƒe asinu ekema aɖe wò.
23 A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
Yehowa lé fu nudakpe ƒomevi vovovowo eye nudanu amebatɔ hã menyoa Yehowa ŋu o.
24 The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
Yehowa fiaa afɔɖeɖe ame, ke aleke ame aɖe awɔ ase eya ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo gɔme?
25 A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
Mɔ wònye na ame ne ekɔ nane ŋu tamemabumabutɔe eye emegbe hafi wòva bu adzɔgbe si wòɖe la ŋuti.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
Fia nyanu gbɔa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòzɔa wo dzi kple luƒotasiaɖam.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
Yehowa ƒe akaɖi kpɔa ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ me eye wòdzroa eƒe ememe ke kpɔ.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nana fia nɔa dedinɔnɔ me eye to lɔlɔ̃ me eƒe fiazikpui lia ke.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
Ɖekakpuiwo ƒe ŋusẽe nye woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe eye ta ƒowɔ nye ame tsitsiwo ƒe atsyɔ̃.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
Kɔ kple abixɔxɔ ɖea vɔ̃ ɖa eye ƒoƒo klɔa ame ƒe ememe ke.
