Proverbs 26
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.
Abe ale si sno dzanae le dzomeŋɔli alo tsi dzanae le nuŋeɣi ene la, nenemae bubu medze bometsila o.
2 As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
Abe ale si atsutsrɔe dzonae alo sagbadrɛ saa agbae ene la, nenemae ɖiŋu si wodo na ame ɖe madzɔmadzɔ dzi la tsia yamee.
3 A whip is for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back of fools.
Sɔƒoka li na sɔ, numega li na tedzi nenemae ameƒoti li na bometsila ƒe dzimegbe!
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you are like to him—even you.
Mègaɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu o, ne menye nenema o la, wò ŋutɔ hã ànɔ abe eya amea ene.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he is wise in his own eyes.
Ɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu, ne menye nenema o la ava bu eɖokui nunyalae le eɖokui gbɔ.
6 He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
Dudede asi na bometsila le abe ame ŋutɔ ƒe afɔ lalã alo dzɔgbevɔ̃e nono ene.
7 The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
Abe ale si atatututɔ ƒe afɔ nɔa yamee ene la, nenemae lododo le le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
8 As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool.
Abe ale si wotsɔa kpe dea akafomee ene la, nenemae bubudede bometsila ŋu le.
9 A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
Abe ale si ŋuti nɔna le ahamula ƒe asimee ene la, nenemae lododo nɔna le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
10 The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
Ame si daa aŋutrɔ bometsila dzodzro la le abe ame si dɔa dɔ ame si le eme tsom la ene.
11 As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
Abe ale si avu trɔna gayia nu si wòdzɔ gbɔe ene la, nenemae bometsila gawɔa bometsinu si wòwɔ va yi.
12 You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
Èkpɔ ame aɖe si nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ŋkume kpɔa? Mɔkpɔkpɔ geɖe li na bometsila wu eya amea.
13 The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”
Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le mɔa dzi, dzata si le gbe tem ŋɔdzitɔe la le tsatsam le ablɔwo me!”
14 The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
Abe ale si ʋɔtru trona le eƒe megbega mee ene la, nenemae kuviatɔ nɔa tɔtrɔm le eƒe aba dzii.
15 The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
Kuviatɔ tsɔ eƒe asi de nuɖugba me gake kuvia ɖoe ale gbegbe be, edede nu me zu dɔ nɛ.
16 Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
Kuviatɔ nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, wu ame adre siwo ɖoa nya ŋu nunyatɔe.
17 Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.
Ame si le eme tsom gake de nu dzrenya si metsɔ egbɔ o me la le abe ame si lé towo kple eve na avu ene.
18 As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
Abe ale si aɖaʋatɔ daa akakati bibi alo aŋutrɔ si ŋu aɖi le la ene la,
19 So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”
nenemae nye ame si ble ehavi eye emegbe wògblɔ nɛ be, “Fefem ko mele!”
20 Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
Ne nake meli o la, dzo tsina; ne sakplitɔ meli o la, dzre kena.
21 Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
Abe ale si aka léa dzo eye nake doa dzo ene la, nenema ŋutsu dzretɔ ƒlɔa dzre ɖoe.
22 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; eyina ɖe ame ƒe dɔgbowo me ke.
23 Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
Abe ale si wofaa sikatsi ɖe anyikplu ŋu ene la, nenema nuyi xɔdzo si ŋu dzi vɔ̃ɖi kpe ɖo la le.
24 A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
Ame baɖa tsɔa eƒe nuyi trɔa eɖokui bubue, gake eɣlaa beble ɖe eƒe dzi me.
25 When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
Togbɔ be eƒe nyawo nya le sesem hã la, mègaxɔ edzi se o elabena ŋunyɔnu adre le eƒe dzi me.
26 Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
Eƒe susu baɖa aɣla ɖe beble megbe, gake woaʋu go eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi le amehawo dome.
27 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
Ne ame aɖe ɖe ʋe la, eya ŋutɔ age adze eme eye ame si amli kpe la, kpe si wòmli la age adze eya ŋutɔ dzi.
28 A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!
Alakpaɖe léa fu ame siwo ŋuti wòle abi demii, eye nu si blea ame la hea gbegblẽ vɛ.
