< Proverbs 16 >

1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.
Amegbetɔ tɔe nye dzi ƒe nuɖoɖowo, ke nyaŋuɖoɖo na aɖe tsoa Yehowa gbɔ.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Jehovah weighs the motives.
Fɔɖiɖi menɔa ame ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo ŋu le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume o, ke Yehowa daa susuwo kpɔ.
3 Entrust your works to Jehovah, and your plans will be established.
Tsɔ nu sia nu si nèwɔna la de Yehowa ƒe asi me, ekema wò ɖoɖowo adze edzi na wò.
4 Jehovah has made everything for its own end—yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Yehowa wɔ nu sia nu le eƒe ŋudɔwɔnu ta, eɖo ame vɔ̃ɖi la gɔ̃ hã ɖi hena dzɔgbevɔ̃eŋkeke la.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Jehovah: they shall certainly not be unpunished.
Dadalawo katã nye ŋunyɔnu na Yehowa. Maka ɖe edzi na wò be, womagbe tohehe na wo o.
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.
Woɖea nu vɔ̃ ɖa to lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ me eye ame ƒoa asa na nu vɔ̃ɖi to Yehowavɔvɔ̃ me.
7 When a man's ways please Jehovah, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Ne ame aɖe ƒe mɔwo nyo Yehowa ŋu la, enana eƒe futɔwo gɔ̃ hã nɔa anyi kplii le ŋutifafa me.
8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.
Nu sue si ŋu dzɔdzɔenyenye kpe ɖo la nyo wu nu geɖe si ŋu madzɔmadzɔ kpe ɖo.
9 A man's heart plans his course, but Jehovah directs his steps.
Ame wɔa ɖoɖo ɖe ale si wòazɔe ŋu le eƒe dzi me, gake Yehowae fiaa ale si wòaɖe afɔe.
10 Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
Fia ƒe nuyiwo ƒoa nu abe nya gblɔm wòle ɖi ene eya ta eƒe nu megatso afia gbegblẽ o.
11 Honest balances and scales are Jehovah's; all the weights in the bag are his work.
Nudakpe kple nudanu vavãwo tso Yehowa gbɔ eye nenema ke nudakpe siwo katã le akplo me hã nye eƒe nuwɔwɔ.
12 It is an abomination to kings to do wickedness, for the throne is established by righteousness.
Nu tovo wɔwɔ nye ŋunyɔnu na fiawo elabena woɖoa fiazikpui anyi ɖe dzɔdzɔenyenye dzi.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They value one who speaks the truth.
Nuyi siwo dzi alakpa mele o la, doa dzidzɔ na fiawo, wodea asixɔxɔ ame si toa nyateƒe la ŋu.
14 The king's wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
Fia ƒe dziku nye ku ƒe dɔla, ke nunyala alé avui.
15 In the light of the king's face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
Ne fia ɖo mo kɔkɔe la, egɔmee nye agbe eye eƒe amenuveve le abe tsiɖoɖo le adame ene.
16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold. Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Aleke nunyaxɔxɔ mehenyo wu sikae o, eye gɔmesesetiatia mehenyo wu klosaloe o!
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe mɔtata ƒoa asa na nu vɔ̃ɖi eye ame si dzɔa eƒe mɔ ŋu la dzɔa eƒe agbe ŋuti.
18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Dada doa ŋgɔ na gbegblẽ eye ɖokuidodoɖedzi doa ŋgɔ na anyidzedze.
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.
Enyo be woabɔbɔ ame ɖokui ɖe anyi le hiãtɔwo dome wu be woama afunyinuwo kple dadalawo.
20 He who heeds the word finds prosperity, and blessed is he who trusts in Jehovah.
Nu dzea edzi na ame si ɖoa to nufiame eye woayra ame si tsɔ eƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ da ɖe Yehowa dzi.
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
Woyɔa ame siwo nunya le woƒe dzi me la be sidzelawo, eye nya vivi doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.
Gɔmesese nye agbetsidzidzi na ame siwo ke ɖe eŋuti, ke bometsitsi hea tohehe vɛ na bometsilawo.
23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
Nunyala ƒe dzi dzɔa eƒe nu ŋuti eye eƒe nuyiwo doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Nya nyuiwo nye anyitsito, enana luʋɔ sea vivi, eye wòhea dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na ƒuwo.
25 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
Mɔ aɖe li si le dzɔdzɔe le ame ƒe ŋkume, ke le nuwuwua la, ekplɔa ame yia ku mee.
26 The appetite of the laboring man labors for him; for his mouth urges him on.
Agbatedɔwɔla ƒe nudzodzro wɔa dɔ nɛ, dɔwuame doa ŋusẽe be wòayi edzi.
27 A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.
Yakame le nu vɔ̃ɖi ɖom eye eƒe nuƒoƒo le abe dzo si le bibim sesĩe la ene.
28 A perverse man stirs up strife, and a gossip separates close friends.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi dea dzre aƒe eye amenyagblɔla maa xɔlɔ̃ veviwo dome.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.
Ame dzeaglã blea eƒe aƒelika nu, eye wòkplɔnɛ toa mɔ gɔglɔ̃ dzi.
30 One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
Ame si le ŋku trom la le nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe ɖom, eye ame si mia eƒe nu ɖe nu dzi la awɔ vɔ̃ godoo.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is found in the path of righteousness.
Ta si ƒo wɔ la nye atsyɔ̃fiakuku, agbe dzɔdzɔe nɔnɔe henɛ vɛ.
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.
Enyo be nànye ŋutsu dzigbɔɖitɔ wu kalẽtɔ, ame si ɖu eƒe dziku dzi la nyo wu ame si xɔ du.
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Jehovah.
Wolɔa hotsui ɖe akɔ hetsɔna kaa nui, ke nyametsotso ɖe sia ɖe tso Yehowa gbɔ.

< Proverbs 16 >