Nyagblɔla 10
1 Nudzodzoe kukuwo ana amiʋeʋĩ si ʋẽna lĩlĩlĩ la ƒe atukpa blibo ɖeka gɔ̃ hã naʋẽ kũu! Ɛ̃, vodada sue aɖe ate ŋu agblẽ nunya geɖe kple bubu gã me.
Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer loathsome and corrupt; thus doth a little folly weigh down wisdom and honor.
2 Nunyala ƒe dzi nana wòwɔa nyui ke bometsila ƒe dzi nana wòwɔa nu vɔ̃.
A wise man's mind is at his right hand; but a fool's mind is at his left.
3 Àte ŋu adze si bometsila le ale si wòle zɔzɔm le ablɔ dzi la me!
Yea, even when the fool walketh in the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4 Ne wò amegã do dɔmedzoe ɖe ŋuwò la, mègadzo le egbɔ o, elabena blewu tsia dɔmedzoe helĩhelĩ nu.
If the anger of a ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place! for gentleness pacifieth great offences.
5 Megade dzesi nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe tso fiawo kple dziɖulawo ŋu esi melé ŋku ɖe nuwo ƒe yiyi me le xexea me ŋu.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun; an error which proceedeth from a ruler.
6 Mekpɔe be wona ŋusẽ gã bometsilawo hetsɔ wo ɖo amewo nu eye wometsɔ bubuteƒe na kesinɔtɔwo abe ale si dze ene o.
Folly is set in many high stations, and the noble sit in a low place.
7 Gawu la, mekpɔ subɔlawo wonɔ sɔ dom le esime fiaviŋutsuwo nɔ afɔ zɔm abe subɔlawo ene!
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on foot.
8 Ame si ɖea vudo la, eyae gena ɖe eme. Ame si gbãa gli toa eme la, eyae da ɖuna.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh down a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Ame si gbãa kpe la, eyae kpe wɔa nuvevii! Ame si dzea nake la, eyae fia sina!
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith, and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 Ame si le fia maɖamaɖa ŋu dɔ wɔm la, wɔa eƒe ŋusẽ geɖe ŋu dɔ. Dze nunya eye nànyre fia la nyuie.
If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put forth more strength; but an advantage for giving success hath wisdom.
11 Ne da ɖu ame hafi wosa gbe de daa la, ekema gbesala mewɔ dɔ nyui aɖeke o.
If a serpent bite before he is charmed, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 Nya si tso nunyala ƒe nu me nyea amenuvenya, ke bometsila ƒe nuyiwo gblẽa nu le eya ŋutɔ ŋu.
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool are his destruction.
13 Eƒe nyawo ƒe gɔmedzedze nyea numanyamanya eye eƒe nyawo ƒe nuwuwu nyea tsukuku vɔ̃ɖi.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 Bometsila nyaa nu sia nu tso etsɔ si gbɔna la ŋu eye wòƒoa nu tso nu si wònya la ŋu tsitotsito! Ke ame ka tututu ate ŋu anya nu si le dzɔdzɔ ge?
A fool also multiplieth words, though no man knoweth what shall be; and who can tell him what shall be after him?
15 Dɔ sue aɖe ko wɔwɔ nana ɖeɖi tea eŋu ale gbegbe be ŋusẽ meganɔa eŋu hena dua me yiyi o.
The labor of the foolish man wearieth him, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16 Babaa na dukɔ si ƒe fia nye ɖevi eye eƒe kplɔlawo mua aha ŋdi kanya gbe sia gbe.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes feast in the morning!
17 Woayra dukɔ si ƒe fia nye bubume, eƒe kplɔlawo wɔa dɔ sesĩe hafi ɖua nu eye wonoa nu bena woatsɔ ado ŋusẽ wo ɖokuiwo hena dɔ si le wo ŋgɔ la wɔwɔ.
Happy thou, O land, when thy king is a noble, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Kuviawɔwɔ nana xɔ ƒe daɖedziwo nyena ɖe eme, eye alɔgblɔlɔwɔwɔ nana xɔ ɖuɖuna.
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and by the slackness of the hands the house leaketh.
19 Nuɖuɖu hea nukoko vanɛ, wain hea dzidzɔ vanɛ, eye gae dia nu sia nu kpɔna.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money answereth all things.
20 Mègado ɖiŋu na fia la le wò susu me ke gɔ̃ hã o; mègaƒo fi de kesinɔtɔ le wò xɔ gã me ke gɔ̃ hã o, elabena xevi sue aɖe agblɔ nu si nègblɔ tso wo ŋu la na wo.
Curse not the king; no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber! for a bird of the air shall carry the voice; and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
