Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
2 For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
Nusɔsrɔ̃ deto mele mia nam eya ta migagbe nye nufiafia o.
3 For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before my mother.
Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
4 And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
efia num hegblɔ be, “Ku ɖe nye nyawo ŋu kple wò dzi katã, lé nye sededewo me ɖe asi ekema ànɔ agbe.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
Dze nunya, di gɔmesese, mègaŋlɔ nye nyawo be alo aƒo asa na wo o.
6 Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
Mègagbe nu le nunya gbɔ o ekema adzɔ ŋuwò, lɔ̃e ekema akpɔ tawò.
7 The first thing [is] wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
Nunya ƒo nuwo katã ta eya ta dze nunya. Togbɔ be wò nunɔamesiwo katã nàtsɔ aƒlee hã la, di gɔmesese.
8 Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
9 She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
Atsɔ amenuveve aɖɔ na wò ta abe seƒoƒotsihe ene eye wòatsɔ atsyɔ̃fiakuku aɖɔ na wò.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
11 In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
12 In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
Ne èle zɔzɔm la, naneke maxe mɔ na wò afɔɖeɖewo o eye ne èsi du la, màkli nu o.
13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
Lé nufiame ɖe asi, mègana wòado le asiwò o; dzɔ eŋuti nyuie elabena eyae nye agbe na wò.
14 Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
Mègaka afɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe toƒewo alo nàzɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ dzi o.
15 Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
Ƒo asa na woƒe mɔwo, mègazɔ wo dzi o, lé wò mɔ tsɔ nàyi afi si yim nèle
16 For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
elabena ne womewɔ nu vɔ̃ɖi o kpaa, womedɔa alɔ̃ o eye womedɔa akɔlɔ̃e teti hã o va se ɖe esime woana ame aɖe nadze anyi.
17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
Woɖua vɔ̃ɖinyenye ƒe abolo eye wonoa nu sesẽ wɔwɔ ƒe wain.
18 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
Ke ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe toƒe le abe ŋdi kanya ƒe ɣetotoe ene, eklẽna, gaklẽna ɖe edzi ne ŋu ɖe le eme nyuie.
19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
Ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ le abe viviti tsiɖitsiɖi ene eye womenya nu si na wole nu klim o.
20 My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
Vinye, lé to ɖe nye nyawo ŋu eye nàƒu to anyi ɖe nya si gblɔm mele la ŋu.
21 Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
Mègana woadzo le wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ dzra wo ɖo ɖe wò dzi me,
22 For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
elabena wonye agbe na ame siwo ke ɖe wo ŋu kple dɔyɔyɔ na ame ƒe ŋutilã blibo la.
23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
24 Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
25 Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
26 Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
27 Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
