Proverbs 17
1 It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.
Abolo ƒuƒlu sue ɖuɖu si ŋu ŋutifafa kple dziɖeɖi kpe ɖo la nyo wu aƒe si me yɔ fũu kple agbeɖuɖu eye dzre kpe ɖe eŋu.
2 A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
Dɔla nyanu aɖu aƒetɔ ɖe viŋutsu ŋukpenanuwɔla dzi eye ama domenyinu la kpli wo abe wo nɔviŋutsu wònye ene.
3 The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
Sonu li na klosalo eye dzokpo li na sika, ke Yehowae doa dziwo katã kpɔ.
4 The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa to nuyi vɔ̃ɖiwo eye aʋatsotɔ ƒua to anyi ɖe aɖe si gblẽa ame ŋu la ŋu.
5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
Ame si ɖea alɔme le ame dahe ŋuti la doa vlo woƒe Wɔla eye ame si kpɔa dzidzɔ be dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔ la, womagbe tohehe nɛ o.
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
Ame si ku amegã la ƒe fiakukue nye viawo ƒe viwo eye dzilawo nye atsyɔ̃ na wo viwo.
7 Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
Nuyi siwo doa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe dzi la medzena bometsila kaka alakpanuyiwo nahayi dziɖula dze ge o!
8 A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Zãnu nye kpe xɔasi na ame si nae, afi sia afi si wòayi la, edzea dzi nɛ.
9 Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
Ame si tsɔ nu tsyɔ vodada dzi la doa lɔlɔ̃ ɖe ŋgɔ eye ame si gawɔ nu si wòwɔ va yi la maa xɔlɔ̃ veviwo dome.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
Mokaname dea ta me na ame si si sidzedze le wu nu si ƒoƒo alafa ɖeka nye na bometsila.
11 An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi la ɖoe kplikpaa be yeadze aglã eya ta woadɔ dumegã sẽŋuta ɖe eŋu.
12 It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
Enyo be nàdo go sisiblisi si ŋu woɖe viwo le wu esi nàdo go bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi me.
13 When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
Ne ŋutsu tsɔ vɔ̃ ɖo nyui teƒe la, vɔ̃ madzo ɖa le eƒe aƒe me kpɔ gbeɖe o.
14 The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.
Dzregɔmetoto le abe ale si woŋɔa tɔʋu ene; eya ta ɖe asi le nya ŋu hafi wòava zu dzre.
15 The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
Afiatsotso na agɔdzela, kple fɔbubu agɔmadzela siaa nye nu si Yehowa tsri.
16 Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
Ŋudɔwɔnu ka ga nye le bometsila ƒe asi me, esi didi aɖeke mele eme ɖe nunyadidi ŋuti o?
17 A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
Xɔlɔ̃ lɔ̃a ame ɣeawo katã ɣi, ke wodzi nɔviŋutsu hena hiãgbe.
18 A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
Ame manyanu ƒua asi akɔ eye wòdoa ŋugbe tsɔa eɖokui daa megbee na ehavi si nyi fe.
19 Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
Ame si lɔ̃ dzrewɔwɔ la lɔ̃a nu vɔ̃ eye ame si de agbo kɔkɔ eƒe aƒe nu la le gbegblẽ dim.
20 A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
Ame si si dzi dovo le la nu medzea edzi nɛ o eye ame si si alakpaɖe le la gena ɖe fukpekpe me.
21 Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
Viŋutsu si tsi bome la hea veve vɛ, eye fofo si, si vi tsibome le la makpɔ dzidzɔ o.
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Dzi si kpɔa dzidzɔ la nye atike nyui, ke gbɔgbɔ si wote ɖe to la nana ƒu tome ƒuna kplakplakpla.
23 A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi xɔa zãnu le bebeme be wòatrɔ nya dzɔdzɔe atsyɔ anyi.
24 The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are set on the ends of the earth.
Ame si si sidzedze le la ƒe ŋku nɔa nunya ŋu, ke bometsila ƒe ŋkuwo tsana, dona ɖe anyigba ƒe mlɔenu ke.
25 A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
Viŋutsu tsibome hea nuxaxa vɛ na fofoa kple veve vɛ na ame si dzii.
26 Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
Menyo be woahe to na fɔmaɖila alo aƒo dɔnunɔla ɖe eƒe nuteƒewɔwɔ ta o.
27 One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
Ame si si sidzedze su la nya vlowo medona le enu o eye ame si si gɔmesese le la ɖɔa ŋu ɖo, medoa dziku dzodzro o.
28 Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.
Wobua bometsila gɔ̃ hã nunyalae nenye be ezi ɖoɖoe, eye wobunɛ sidzelae ne ekpɔ eƒe aɖe dzi nyuie.
