Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; and whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.
Wain nye fewuɖula eye aha muame nye avuwɔla, ame si wokplɔ trae la menya nu o.
2 The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own life.
Fia ƒe dziku doa vɔvɔ̃ abe dzata ƒe gbetete ene ame si do dziku nɛ la bua eƒe agbe.
3 It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife: but every fool will be quarrelling.
Bubu wònye na ŋutsu ne eƒo asa na dzre gake bometsila ɖe sia ɖe wɔa dzre kabakaba.
4 The slothful will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Kuviatɔ meŋlɔa agble le agbledeɣi o, eya ta edia nu le nuŋeɣi doa kpoe.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is [like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Ŋutsu ƒe tameɖoɖowo nye tɔ goglo, gake ame si si nugɔmesese su la akui wòavɔ.
6 Most men wilt proclaim every one his own kindness: but a faithful man who can find?
Ŋutsu geɖewo gblɔna be lɔlɔ̃ matrɔ le yewo si gake ame ka ate ŋu akpɔ ŋutsu nuteƒewɔla?
7 A just man that walketh in his integrity, blessed are his children after him.
Ame dzɔdzɔe nɔa agbe si ŋu kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele o; yayra anɔ viawo dzi emegbe gɔ̃ hã.
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away 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 can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ bena, “Mewɔ nye dzi dzadzɛe, ŋutinye kɔ eye vɔ̃ mele ŋutinye o?”
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
Yehowa lé fu nudakpe vovovo eve kple nudzidzenu vovovo eve siaa.
11 Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Wonyaa ɖevi gɔ̃ hã to eƒe nuwɔna me, ne ele agbe dzadzɛ eye eƒe nuwɔnawo le eteƒe.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
Yehowa wɔ to si sea nu kple ŋku si kpɔa nu la siaa.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Mègalɔ̃ alɔ̃ tsu dɔdɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, àva zu hiãtɔ, nɔ ŋu ekema àɖu nu wòasusɔ.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
Nuƒlela gblɔna be, “Menyo o, menyo o,” emegbe la, eyina ɖanɔa adegbe ƒom be yeƒle nu ɖiɖi.
15 There is gold, and abundance of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
Sika li, adzagba hã li fũu gake nuyi siwo gblɔa nunyanya la, kpe xɔasi veviwo wonye.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge [that is surety] for strangers.
Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe ɖo awɔbae ne eda megbe na nyɔnu gbolowɔla.
17 Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be 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 Every purpose is established by counsel: and by wise guidance make thou war,
Wɔ ɖoɖo to aɖaŋuxɔxɔ me, ne èle aʋa wɔm la, bia mɔfiame.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.
Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla eya ta ƒo asa na ŋutsu nukpoloeƒola.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
Ne ŋutsu do ɖiŋu na fofoa alo dadaa la, woatsi eƒe akaɖi ne ele viviti tsiɖitsiɖi me.
21 An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
Domenyinu si wokpɔ to mɔ kpui dzi le gɔmedzedzea me la, yayra manɔ edzi le nuwuwua o.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil: wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Mègagblɔ be, “Maɖo vɔ̃ si nèwɔ ɖe ŋunye la teƒe na wò” o! Kpɔ Yehowa ƒe asinu ekema aɖe wò.
23 Divers weights are an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
Yehowa lé fu nudakpe ƒomevi vovovowo eye nudanu amebatɔ hã menyoa Yehowa ŋu o.
24 A man’s goings are of the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
Yehowa fiaa afɔɖeɖe ame, ke aleke ame aɖe awɔ ase eya ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo gɔme?
25 It is a snare to a man rashly to say, [It is] holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
Mɔ wònye na ame ne ekɔ nane ŋu tamemabumabutɔe eye emegbe hafi wòva bu adzɔgbe si wòɖe la ŋuti.
26 A wise king winnoweth the wicked, and bringeth the [threshing] wheel over them.
Fia nyanu gbɔa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòzɔa wo dzi kple luƒotasiaɖam.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the innermost parts of the belly.
Yehowa ƒe akaɖi kpɔa ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ me eye wòdzroa eƒe ememe ke kpɔ.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nana fia nɔa dedinɔnɔ me eye to lɔlɔ̃ me eƒe fiazikpui lia ke.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the hoary head.
Ɖekakpuiwo ƒe ŋusẽe nye woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe eye ta ƒowɔ nye ame tsitsiwo ƒe atsyɔ̃.
30 Stripes that wound cleanse away evil: and strokes [reach] the innermost parts of the belly.
Kɔ kple abixɔxɔ ɖea vɔ̃ ɖa eye ƒoƒo klɔa ame ƒe ememe ke.
