Proverbs 1
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Israel fia Solomo, David ƒe vi ƒe lododowo nye esiawo:
2 For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
na nunya kple amehehe, na nya goglowo gɔmesese,
3 For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
hena agbe dzɔdzɔe kple agbe ɖevi nɔnɔ, be woawɔ nu si dzɔ, nu si le eteƒe kple nu si nyo,
4 For giving to simple ones—prudence, To a youth—knowledge and discretion.
be ame gblɔewo nadze aɖaŋu eye woana nunya kple sidzedze sɔhɛwo,
5 (The wise hear and increase learning, And the intelligent obtain counsels.)
nunyalawo neɖo to, ne woasrɔ̃ nu akpe ɖe esi wonya xoxo la ŋu eye ame siwo si sidzedze le xoxo la naxɔ aɖaŋu,
6 For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
be woase nunyalawo ƒe lododowo abebubuwo kple adzowo gɔme.
7 Fear of YHWH [is the] beginning of knowledge, Fools have despised wisdom and instruction!
Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye nunya ƒe gɔmedzedze, ke bometsilawo doa vlo nunya kple amehehe.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, And do not leave the law of your mother,
Vinye, ɖo to fofowò ƒe nuxɔxlɔ̃ eye mègagbe nu le dawò ƒe nufiame gbɔ o.
9 For they [are] a graceful wreath to your head, And chains to your neck.
Anye seƒoƒokuku aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò ta kple kɔga anɔ kɔwò.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not be willing.
Vinye, ne nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo le nuwò blem la, mègalɔ̃ na wo o.
11 If they say, “Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
Ne wogblɔ na wò be, “Va kplɔ mí ɖo, na míade xa ɖe ame aɖe ƒe ʋu ŋuti, na míanɔ xame na luʋɔ maɖifɔ aɖe,
ne míamii agbagbee abe tsiẽƒe ene, eye míamii blibo abe ame siwo ge dze ʋe globo me ene (Sheol h7585)
13 We find every precious substance, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
ekema nu xɔasi vovovowo asu mía si eye míatsɔ afunyinuwo ayɔ míaƒe xɔwo mee
14 You cast your lot among us, One purse is—to all of us.”
eya ta de mía dzi ale be míana gakotoku ɖeka wò” la,
15 My son! Do not go in the way with them, Withhold your foot from their path,
vinye, mègakplɔ wo ɖo o, mègaka afɔ woƒe toƒewo o
16 For their feet run to evil, And they hurry to shed blood.
elabena woƒe afɔ ɖea abla ɖe nu vɔ̃ ŋu eye wogona ɖe ʋukɔkɔɖi ŋu.
17 Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
Enye movidzɔdzɔ be woaɖo ɖɔ ɖi na xeviwo le wo katã ƒe ŋkume!
18 And they lay wait for their own blood, They watch secretly for their own lives.
Ame siawo de xa ɖi na woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ʋu eye wole adeklo dzi ɖe woawo ŋutɔ ɖokuiwo ŋu!
19 So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, It takes the life of its owners.
Aleae ame siwo tia viɖe ƒoɖi yome la ƒe nuwuwu anɔ, elabena eɖea ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la ƒe agbe ɖa.
20 Wisdom cries aloud in an out-place, She gives forth her voice in broad places,
Nunya le ɣli dom le mɔtata dzi eye wòkɔ gbe dzi le ƒuƒoƒewo.
21 She calls at the head of the multitudes, In the openings of the gates, In the city she says her sayings:
Ele ɣli dom le mɔtata siwo dzi zinyenye le la ƒe dzogoewo dzi eye wòle eƒe nyawo gblɔm le dua ƒe agbowo me be,
22 “Until when, you simple, do you love simplicity? And have scorners desired their scorning? And do fools hate knowledge?
“Va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi mi gegemewo mialɔ̃ bometsinuwɔwɔ? Va se ɖe ɣe ka yi fewuɖulawo akpɔ dzidzɔ le fewuɖuɖu ŋu, bometsilawo alé fu sidzedze?
23 Turn back at my reproof, behold, I pour forth my spirit to you, I make known my words with you.
Ne ɖe mietrɔ ɖe nye mokaname ŋu la, anye ne metrɔ nye dzi kɔ ɖe anyi na mi eye mena mienya nye susuwo.
24 Because I have called, and you refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
Ke esi miegbe tɔtɔ nam esi meyɔ mi, esi meke nye abɔwo me, mietsɔ ɖeke le eme o
25 And you slight all my counsel, And you have not desired my reproof.
eye miedo toku nye aɖaŋuɖoɖowo, hegbe nye mokaname ta la,
26 I also laugh in your calamity, I deride when your fear comes,
nye hã mako mi le miaƒe gbegblẽ ta eye maɖe alɔme le mia ŋu ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe mia dzi,
27 When your fear comes as destruction, And your calamity comes as a windstorm, When adversity and distress come on you.
ɛ̃, ne eƒo ɖe mia dzi abe ahom sesẽ ene, gbegblẽ hã zɔ to mia dzi abe yali ene, eye xaxa kple hiã va mia dzi kpoyi!
28 Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and do not find me.
“Ekema woayɔm gake nyematɔ o, woadim gake womakpɔm o.
29 Because that they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of YHWH.
Le esi wolé fu sidzedze eye wometia Yehowavɔvɔ̃ o,
30 They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
le esi wogbe nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo hedo vlo nye mokaname ta.
31 And they eat of the fruit of their way, And they are filled from their own counsels.
Azɔ la woaɖu woƒe mɔwo ƒe kutsetse eye woƒe ɖoɖowo ƒe kutsetse aɖi ƒo na wo
32 For the turning of the simple slays them, And the security of the foolish destroys them.
elabena gegemewo ƒe afɔɖeɖe baɖawo awu wo eye bometsilawo ƒe ɖekematsɔleme atsrɔ̃ wo.
33 And whoever is listening to me dwells confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!”
Ke ame sia ame si ɖoa tom la, anɔ agbe le dedinɔnɔ me eye aɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ, mavɔ̃ na dzɔgbevɔ̃e o.”
