Proverbs 21
1 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of Yahweh; he turns it wherever he pleases.
Fia la ƒe dzi le Yehowa ƒe asi me; efiaa mɔe wòtoa afi sia afi si wòlɔ̃ la abe ale si woɖea toƒe na tsi si si tso tsidzɔtsoƒe ene.
2 Every person's way is right in his own eyes, but it is Yahweh who weighs the hearts.
Ŋutsu ƒe mɔwo katã dzea eŋu gake Yehowae daa dziwo kpɔ.
3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice.
Nu dzɔdzɔe kple nu si le eteƒe wɔwɔ doa dzidzɔ na Yehowa wu vɔsa.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the lamp of the wicked—are sin.
Ŋku gã kple dzi si me dada le lae nye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe akaɖi, evɔ wòhenye nu vɔ̃.
5 The plans of the diligent lead only to prosperity, but everyone who acts too quickly comes only to poverty.
Vevidonula ƒe ɖoɖoɖowo hea viɖe vɛ nenema kee dzitsitsi hea ahedada vɛ.
6 Acquiring riches by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare that kills.
Kesinɔnu si wotsɔ alakpaɖe kpɔe la nu va yina kaba abe ƒuƒu ene eye wònye mɔ si ŋu aɖi vɔ̃ɖi le.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is just.
Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ ahe wo adzoe elabena wogbe be yewomawɔ nu nyui o.
8 The way of a guilty person is crooked, but the one who is pure does what is right.
Fɔɖila ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ gake fɔmaɖila ƒe nuwɔwɔ le dzɔdzɔe.
9 It is better to live on a corner of the roof than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
Enyo be woanɔ dzogoe dzi le xɔta wu be woanɔ xɔ ɖeka me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla.
10 The appetite of the wicked craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
Nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ dzroa ame vɔ̃ɖi vevie, mekpɔa nublanui na ehavi o.
11 When the mocker is punished, the naive become wise, and when the wise person is instructed, he lays hold of knowledge.
Ne wohe to na fewuɖula la, bometsilawo dzea nunya; ne wofia nu nunyala la, sidzedze sua esi.
12 The righteous person watches the house of the wicked person; he brings wicked people to disaster.
Dzɔdzɔetɔ la ɖea ŋku ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe aƒe ŋu, eye wòhea gbegblẽ vaa ame vɔ̃ɖi la dzi.
13 The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he also will cry out, but he will not be answered.
Ne ame aɖe do toku ame dahe ƒe ɣlidodo la, ne eya hã do ɣli la, ame aɖeke masee nɛ o.
14 A gift in secret appeases anger and a concealed gift appeases strong wrath.
Nunana si wona le adzame la faa dziku nu eye zãnu si woɣla ɖe awu ʋlaya te hafi tsɔ vɛ la léa avu dziku helĩhelĩ.
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous person, but it brings terror to evildoers.
Afia nyui tsotso hea dzidzɔ vɛ na ame dzɔdzɔe, ke ehea ŋɔdzi vɛ na vɔ̃ wɔlawo.
16 The one who wanders from the way of understanding, he will rest in the assembly of the dead.
Ŋutsu si tra tso gɔmesese ƒe mɔ dzi la va dzudzɔna le ame kukuwo ƒe ha me.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
Ame si lɔ̃a agbeɖuɖu la azu hiãtɔ eye ame si lɔ̃a wain kple ami la makpɔ hotsui o.
18 A wicked person is ransom for the righteous person, and the treacherous person is ransom for upright people.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi zua avulénu ɖe ame dzɔdzɔe teƒe eye nenema ke nuteƒemawɔla ɖea nuteƒewɔla nu.
19 It is better to live in the desert than with a quarreling and angry wife.
Enyo be nànɔ dzogbe wu be nànɔ anyi kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla kple dɔmedzoedola.
20 Desirable treasure and oil are kept in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish person swallows it all up.
Nuɖuɖu vivi kple ami bɔ ɖe nunyala ƒe aƒe me fũu, gake bometsila ɖua nu sia nu si le esi.
21 The one who does right and is kind— this person finds life, righteousness, and honor.
Ame si tia dzɔdzɔenyenye kple lɔlɔ̃ la, tia agbe, dzidzedze kple bubu.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty ones, and he brings down the stronghold in which they trusted.
Nunyala dze kalẽtɔ ƒe du dzi eye wòmu mɔ sesẽ si ŋu wole dzi ɖom ɖo la ƒu anyi.
23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
Ame si kpɔa eƒe nu kple eƒe aɖe dzi la, ɖea eɖokui tso dzɔgbevɔ̃e me.
24 The proud and haughty person—”Mocker” is his name— acts with arrogant pride.
Ŋutsu dadala, ɖokuiŋudzela, si wɔa nu tovo kple dada la, eyae woyɔna be, “Fewuɖula.”
25 The desire of the lazy kills him, for his hands refuse to work.
Kuviatɔ ƒe nudzodzro ahe ku vɛ nɛ, elabena eƒe asiwo gbe be yewomawɔ dɔ o.
26 All day long he craves and craves more, but the righteous person gives and does not hold back.
Ele nu dzrom ŋkeke blibo la, ke ame dzɔdzɔe la nana faa, eye metea ame o.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable; it is even more detestable when he brings it with evil motives.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe vɔsa nye ŋunyɔnu, kaka wòahanye be etsɔe vɛ kple susu vɔ̃ɖi.
28 A false witness will perish, but the one who listens will speak for all time.
Aʋatsoɖasefo atsrɔ̃ eye ame si ɖoa toe la atsrɔ̃ gbidigbidi.
29 A wicked man makes his face hard, but an upright person is certain about his ways.
Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa mo kplala ɖi, ke dzɔdzɔetɔ léa ŋku ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu.
30 There is no wisdom, there is no understanding, and there is no advice that can stand against Yahweh.
Nunya, gɔmesese kple ɖoɖo aɖeke meli si adze edzi o, ne etsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa ŋu.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to Yahweh.
Woblaa akpa na sɔ ɖe aʋakpegbe ŋu, gake Yehowa ƒe asimee dziɖuɖu ya le.
