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.
As dead flies cause perfume to stink, so a little folly can overpower wisdom and honor.
2 Nunyala ƒe dzi nana wòwɔa nyui ke bometsila ƒe dzi nana wòwɔa nu vɔ̃.
The heart of a wise person tends to the right, but the heart of a fool tends to the left.
3 Àte ŋu adze si bometsila le ale si wòle zɔzɔm le ablɔ dzi la me!
When a fool walks down a road, his thinking is deficient, proving to everyone 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 emotions of a ruler rise up against you, do not leave your work. Calm can quiet down great outrage.
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 that I have seen under the sun, a kind of error that comes 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.
Fools are given leadership positions, while successful men are given low positions.
7 Gawu la, mekpɔ subɔlawo wonɔ sɔ dom le esime fiaviŋutsuwo nɔ afɔ zɔm abe subɔlawo ene!
I have seen slaves riding horses, and successful men walking like slaves on the ground.
8 Ame si ɖea vudo la, eyae gena ɖe eme. Ame si gbãa gli toa eme la, eyae da ɖuna.
Anyone who digs a pit can fall into it, and whenever someone breaks down a wall, a snake can bite him.
9 Ame si gbãa kpe la, eyae kpe wɔa nuvevii! Ame si dzea nake la, eyae fia sina!
Whoever cuts out stones can be hurt by them, and the man who chops wood is endangered by it.
10 Ame si le fia maɖamaɖa ŋu dɔ wɔm la, wɔa eƒe ŋusẽ geɖe ŋu dɔ. Dze nunya eye nànyre fia la nyuie.
If an iron blade is dull, and a man does not sharpen it, then he must use more strength, but wisdom provides an advantage for success.
11 Ne da ɖu ame hafi wosa gbe de daa la, ekema gbesala mewɔ dɔ nyui aɖeke o.
If a snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for 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 consume him.
13 Eƒe nyawo ƒe gɔmedzedze nyea numanyamanya eye eƒe nyawo ƒe nuwuwu nyea tsukuku vɔ̃ɖi.
As words begin to flow from a fool's mouth, foolishness comes out, and at the end his mouth flows with wicked 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 multiplies words, but no one knows what is coming. Who knows what is coming after him?
15 Dɔ sue aɖe ko wɔwɔ nana ɖeɖi tea eŋu ale gbegbe be ŋusẽ meganɔa eŋu hena dua me yiyi o.
The toil of fools wearies them, so that they do not even know the road to town.
16 Babaa na dukɔ si ƒe fia nye ɖevi eye eƒe kplɔlawo mua aha ŋdi kanya gbe sia gbe.
Woe to you, land, if your king is a young boy, and if your leaders begin feasting 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.
But blessed are you, land, if your king is the son of nobles, and if your leaders eat at the right time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Kuviawɔwɔ nana xɔ ƒe daɖedziwo nyena ɖe eme, eye alɔgblɔlɔwɔwɔ nana xɔ ɖuɖuna.
Because of laziness the roof sinks in, and because of idle hands the house leaks.
19 Nuɖuɖu hea nukoko vanɛ, wain hea dzidzɔ vanɛ, eye gae dia nu sia nu kpɔna.
People prepare food for laughter, wine brings enjoyment to life, and money fills the need for everything.
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.
Do not curse the king, not even in your mind, and do not curse rich people in your bedroom. For a bird of the sky might carry your words; whatever has wings can spread the matter.
