Proverbs 18
1 Those who separate themselves [from other people] think [only] about those things that they are interested in; [if they would continually associate with] those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.
Ɖokuitɔdila dia eɖokui ko tɔ eye meɖoa to nunyanya siwo gblɔm wole la o.
2 Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
Bometsila medoa vivi ɖe gɔmesese ŋu o, ke boŋ ekpɔa dzidzɔ le eya ŋutɔ ƒe susuɖegblɔ ŋu.
3 Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them; when people do things that cause themselves to no [longer] be honored, they will be disgraced [also].
Ne vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi va la, vlododo kplɔnɛ ɖo eye ne alɔmeɖeɖe va la, ŋukpe dzea eyome.
4 What wise people say is [like] a deep ocean [that you can never get to the bottom of] [MET], and it [refreshes us like water from] a rapidly flowing stream.
Ame ƒe numenyawo nye tɔ goglo, ke nunya ƒe vudo nye ta si le dzidzim.
5 It is not good [for a judge] to decide matters in favor of those who (are guilty/have done wicked things) and to not do what is just for those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
Menyo be woade ame vɔ̃ɖi dzi alo atrɔ ame maɖifɔ ƒe nya dzɔdzɔe atsyɔ anyi o.
6 When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
Bometsila ƒe nuyiwo denɛ dzre me eye eƒe nu hea ƒoƒo vaa edzii.
7 What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
Nu si bometsila ƒe nu gblɔ la, metso eya ŋutɔ gbɔ o, eye eƒe nuyi nye mɔka na eƒe luʋɔ.
8 [People enjoy listening to] what gossips say like [SIM] [they enjoy] tasty food; they [accept what gossips tell them like] [MET] they swallow tasty food.
Amenyagblɔla ƒe nyawo vivina abe nuɖuɖu vivi si woka de nu me la ene; woyina ɖe ame ƒe dɔgbowo me ke.
9 People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
Ame si wɔa alɔgblɔdɔ le eƒe dɔ ŋuti la nye nugblẽla nɔvi.
10 Yahweh [MTY] is [like] a strong tower [MET]; righteous people [can] go to him and be safe [like they can run to a tower to be safe].
Yehowa ƒe ŋkɔ nye mɔ sesẽ, ame dzɔdzɔewo sina yia eme eye wonɔa dedie.
11 Rich people [are protected because they have] a lot of money [PRS] like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].
Kesinɔtɔwo ƒe kesinɔnuwo nye woƒe du sesẽ eye wobuna be wonye gli kɔkɔ si ame aɖeke mate ŋu aflɔ o.
12 Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
Hafi ame aɖe nadze anyi la, dada nɔa eƒe dzi me, ke ɖokuibɔbɔ doa ŋgɔ na bubu.
13 Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
Enye bometsitsi kple ŋukpe na ame, be wòaɖo nya ŋu hafi ase nu si gblɔm wole.
14 A desire to [continue to] live can sustain someone when he is sick; if he loses that desire, he (cannot endure it/will become very discouraged) when he is sick [RHQ].
Ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ lénɛ ɖe te le dɔléle me, ke ame ka ate ŋu atsɔ gbɔgbɔ si gbã gudugudu?
15 Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
Sidzela ƒe dzi kpɔa gɔmesese eye nunyala ƒe to dia gɔmesese.
16 If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
Nunana ʋua mɔ na nunala eye wòkplɔnɛ gena ɖe amegã la ƒe ŋkumee.
17 The first person to present his case in court seems right, but when (someone else/his opponent) begins to ask him questions, [it may become clear that what he said was not true].
Ame gbãtɔ si to eƒe nya la dzena dzɔdzɔetɔe va se ɖe esime ame aɖe va bia gbee.
18 If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
Nudzidze tsia dzre nu eye wòtsoa nya me na ame sesẽ siwo le dzre wɔm.
19 If you help relatives, they will [protect you] like [SIM] a strong wall [protects a city], but if you quarrel with them, [that will separate you from them] like bars on a city gate [separate the city from those who want to enter it] [MET].
Nɔviŋutsu si dzi wodze agɔ le la sẽ wu du si ŋu woɖo gli sesẽ ɖo eye dzrewɔwɔ le abe fiasã si ƒe agbowo ŋu wode gameti sesẽwoe ene.
20 People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good, [like] they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].
Ame ƒe numekutsetse ɖia ƒo nɛ eye nuŋeŋe si doa go tso eƒe nuyiwo me la ana eƒe dzi nadze eme.
21 What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to [continue to] live; [so] those who like [to talk a lot] must (accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm).
Ku kple agbe ƒe ŋusẽ le aɖe si, eye ame siwo lɔ̃e la aɖu eƒe kutsetse.
22 If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
Ame si si srɔ̃nyɔnu su la ke ɖe nu nyui ŋu eye wòxɔa amenuveve tso Yehowa gbɔ.
23 [It is necessary for] poor [people] to speak politely when they request [rich people to do something for them], but rich [people] reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.
Ame dahe ɖea kuku biaa nublanuikpɔkpɔ, ke kesinɔtɔ ya ɖoa nya ŋu adãtɔe.
24 There are [some] people who [only] pretend to be friends [with us], but there are [some] friends who are more loyal than members of our families.
Ame si si xɔlɔ̃ geɖe le la ate ŋu awu nu le gbegblẽ me, gake xɔlɔ̃ aɖe li si kuna ɖe ame ŋu wu dadavi gɔ̃ hã.
