Proverbs 22
1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold — good grace.
Ŋkɔ nyui didi nyo wu kesinɔnuwo eye ŋudzedzekpɔkpɔ nyo wu klosalo kple sika.
2 Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
Nu ɖeka siae nàkpɔ le kesinɔtɔ kple ame dahe ŋu: Yehowae nye wo katã Wɔla.
3 The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila ya yiyim ko wòle eye wòkpea fu ɖe enu.
4 The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
Ɖokuibɔbɔ kple Yehowavɔvɔ̃ hea kesinɔnu, bubu kple agbe vɛ.
5 Thorns — snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
Ŋu kple mɔkawo le ame vɔ̃ɖi la ƒe mɔ dzi, ke ame si dzɔ eƒe luʋɔ ŋuti la, ate ɖa xaa tso wo gbɔ.
6 Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.
He ɖevi ɖe mɔ si wòato la dzi eye ne etsi la, mate ɖa le edzi o.
7 The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
Kesinɔtɔwo ɖua gã ɖe ame dahewo dzi eye nugbanadola zua dɔla na ame si do nugbana la nɛ.
8 Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
Ame si ƒã vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi la axa dzɔgbevɔ̃e, eye woatsrɔ eƒe dɔmedzoe ƒe ameƒoti.
9 The good of eye — he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
Woayra ame si nyoa dɔ me na amewo elabena emaa eƒe nuɖuɖu kple ame dahewo.
10 Cast out a scorner — and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
Nya fewuɖula la do goe eye dzre hã ado go, nenema ke nyahehe kple dzudzu hã awu nu.
11 Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
Ame si lɔ̃ dzi dzadzɛ kple nuƒoƒo si me nya dzetowo le la, eyae fia la adze xɔ̃e.
12 The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
Yehowa ƒe ŋkuwo le nugɔmesese ŋu, ke etrɔa gbo nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe nyawo.
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le gota!” alo “Woava wum le ablɔ dzi!”
14 A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
Nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe nu la, ʋe globo wònye eye ame si dzi Yehowa ƒe dziku le la eyae age adze eme.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.
Wobla bometsitsi ɖe ɖevi ƒe dzi ŋu, ke ɖɔɖɔɖo ƒe ameƒoti ana wòate ɖa xaa tso egbɔ.
16 He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.
Ame si tea ame dahewo ɖe anyi be yeadzi yeƒe kesinɔnuwo ɖe edzi kple ame si naa nu kesinɔtɔ la siaa age ɖe hiã me.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
Ƒu to anyi eye nàse nunyalawo ƒe nyawo, na wò dzi naku ɖe nu si fiam mele ŋuti,
18 For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.
elabena edoa dzidzɔ na ame ne èɣla wo ɖe wò dzi me, eye wo katã nanɔ klalo le wò nuyiwo dzi.
19 That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
Ale be nàɖo dzi ɖe Yehowa ŋu, esia ta mele nu fiam wò ɖo egbea, ɛ̃, wòe mele nu fiam.
20 Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
Ɖe nyemeŋlɔ nufiamenya blaetɔ̃ na wò, aɖaŋuɖonyawo kple nugɔmesenyawo
21 To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending thee.
be woafia nyateƒe kple kakaɖedzinyawo wò be nàtsɔ nunyanyawo aɖo nya ŋu na ame si dɔ wò la oa?
22 Rob not the poor because he [is] poor, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
Mègaba ame dahewo le esi woda ahe ta o eye mègate hiãtɔ ɖe to le ʋɔnu o,
23 For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
elabena Yehowa axɔ nya ɖe wo nu eye wòaha ame si ha wo.
24 Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
Mègadze xɔ̃ ŋutsu dɔmedzoetɔ o eye mègade ha kple ame si doa dziku kabakaba o,
25 Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
ne menye nenema o la, àva srɔ̃ eƒe mɔwo eye nàtsɔ ɖokuiwò ade mɔ me.
26 Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
Mèganye ame si ƒua asi akɔ ɖe fenyila nu alo dea megbe na ame si do nugbana la o;
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
eye ne mèkpɔ ga axe fea o la, woaɖe aba si dzi nèmlɔna la gɔ̃ hã le tewò.
28 Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
Mègaɖe blemaliƒokpe si fofowòwo ɖi la ɖa o.
29 Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
Èkpɔ ame si bi ɖe eƒe dɔ me la le dɔ wɔma? Asubɔ le fiawo ŋgɔ eye menye le ame tsɛwo ŋgɔ o.
