Lododowo 1
1 Israel fia Solomo, David ƒe vi ƒe lododowo nye esiawo:
The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, who reigned in Israel;
2 na nunya kple amehehe, na nya goglowo gɔmesese,
to know wisdom and instruction, and to perceive words of understanding;
3 hena agbe dzɔdzɔe kple agbe ɖevi nɔnɔ, be woawɔ nu si dzɔ, nu si le eteƒe kple nu si nyo,
to receive also hard saying, and to understand true justice, and [how] to direct judgement;
4 be ame gblɔewo nadze aɖaŋu eye woana nunya kple sidzedze sɔhɛwo,
that he might give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man discernment and understanding.
5 nunyalawo neɖo to, ne woasrɔ̃ nu akpe ɖe esi wonya xoxo la ŋu eye ame siwo si sidzedze le xoxo la naxɔ aɖaŋu,
For by the hearing of these a wise man will be wiser, and man of understanding will gain direction;
6 be woase nunyalawo ƒe lododowo abebubuwo kple adzowo gɔme.
and will understand a parable, and a dark speech; the saying of the wise also, and riddles.
7 Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye nunya ƒe gɔmedzedze, ke bometsilawo doa vlo nunya kple amehehe.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and [there is] good understanding to all that practise it: and piety towards God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nothing wisdom and instruction.
8 Vinye, ɖo to fofowò ƒe nuxɔxlɔ̃ eye mègagbe nu le dawò ƒe nufiame gbɔ o.
Hear, [my] son, the instruction of your father, and reject not the rules of your mother.
9 Anye seƒoƒokuku aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò ta kple kɔga anɔ kɔwò.
For you shall receive for your head a crown of graces, and a chain of gold round your neck.
10 Vinye, ne nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo le nuwò blem la, mègalɔ̃ na wo o.
[My] son, let not ungodly men lead you astray, neither consent you [to them].
11 Ne wogblɔ na wò be, “Va kplɔ mí ɖo, na míade xa ɖe ame aɖe ƒe ʋu ŋuti, na míanɔ xame na luʋɔ maɖifɔ aɖe,
If they should exhort you, saying, Come with us, partake in blood, and let us unjustly hide the just man in the earth:
12 ne míamii agbagbee abe tsiẽƒe ene, eye míamii blibo abe ame siwo ge dze ʋe globo me ene (Sheol h7585)
and let us swallow him alive, as Hades [would], and remove the memorial of him from the earth: (Sheol h7585)
13 ekema nu xɔasi vovovowo asu mía si eye míatsɔ afunyinuwo ayɔ míaƒe xɔwo mee
let us seize on his valuable property, and let us fill our houses with spoils:
14 eya ta de mía dzi ale be míana gakotoku ɖeka wò” la,
but do you cast in your lot with us, and let us all provide a common purse, and let us have one pouch:
15 vinye, mègakplɔ wo ɖo o, mègaka afɔ woƒe toƒewo o
go not in the way with them, but turn aside your foot from their paths:
16 elabena woƒe afɔ ɖea abla ɖe nu vɔ̃ ŋu eye wogona ɖe ʋukɔkɔɖi ŋu.
[For their feet run to do evil, and are swift to shed blood. ]
17 Enye movidzɔdzɔ be woaɖo ɖɔ ɖi na xeviwo le wo katã ƒe ŋkume!
for nets are not without cause spread for birds.
18 Ame siawo de xa ɖi na woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ʋu eye wole adeklo dzi ɖe woawo ŋutɔ ɖokuiwo ŋu!
For they that are concerned in murder store up evils for themselves; and the overthrow of transgressors is evil.
19 Aleae ame siwo tia viɖe ƒoɖi yome la ƒe nuwuwu anɔ, elabena eɖea ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la ƒe agbe ɖa.
These are the ways of all that perform lawless deeds; for by ungodliness they destroy their own life.
20 Nunya le ɣli dom le mɔtata dzi eye wòkɔ gbe dzi le ƒuƒoƒewo.
Wisdom sings aloud in passages, and in the broad places speaks boldly.
21 Ele ɣli dom le mɔtata siwo dzi zinyenye le la ƒe dzogoewo dzi eye wòle eƒe nyawo gblɔm le dua ƒe agbowo me be,
And she makes proclamation on the top of the walls, and sits by the gates of princes; and at the gates of the city boldly says,
22 “Va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi mi gegemewo mialɔ̃ bometsinuwɔwɔ? Va se ɖe ɣe ka yi fewuɖulawo akpɔ dzidzɔ le fewuɖuɖu ŋu, bometsilawo alé fu sidzedze?
So long as the simple cleave to justice, they shall not be ashamed: but the foolish being lovers of haughtiness, having become ungodly have hated knowledge, and are become subject to reproofs.
23 Ne ɖe mietrɔ ɖe nye mokaname ŋu la, anye ne metrɔ nye dzi kɔ ɖe anyi na mi eye mena mienya nye susuwo.
Behold, I will bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech.
24 Ke esi miegbe tɔtɔ nam esi meyɔ mi, esi meke nye abɔwo me, mietsɔ ɖeke le eme o
Since I called, and you did not listen; and I spoke at length, and you gave no heed;
25 eye miedo toku nye aɖaŋuɖoɖowo, hegbe nye mokaname ta la,
but you set at nothing my counsels, and disregarded my reproofs;
26 nye hã mako mi le miaƒe gbegblẽ ta eye maɖe alɔme le mia ŋu ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe mia dzi,
therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; and I will rejoice against [you] when ruin comes upon you:
27 ɛ̃, ne eƒo ɖe mia dzi abe ahom sesẽ ene, gbegblẽ hã zɔ to mia dzi abe yali ene, eye xaxa kple hiã va mia dzi kpoyi!
yes when dismay suddenly comes upon you, and [your] overthrow shall arrive like a tempest; and when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, or when ruin shall come upon you.
28 “Ekema woayɔm gake nyematɔ o, woadim gake womakpɔm o.
For it shall be that when you call upon me, I will not listen to you: wicked men shall seek me, but shall not find [me].
29 Le esi wolé fu sidzedze eye wometia Yehowavɔvɔ̃ o,
For they hated wisdom, and did not choose the word of the Lord:
30 le esi wogbe nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo hedo vlo nye mokaname ta.
neither would they attend to my counsels, but derided my reproofs.
31 Azɔ la woaɖu woƒe mɔwo ƒe kutsetse eye woƒe ɖoɖowo ƒe kutsetse aɖi ƒo na wo
Therefore shall they eat the fruits of their own way, and shall be filled with their own ungodliness.
32 elabena gegemewo ƒe afɔɖeɖe baɖawo awu wo eye bometsilawo ƒe ɖekematsɔleme atsrɔ̃ wo.
For because they wronged the simple, they shall be slain; and an inquisition shall ruin the ungodly.
33 Ke ame sia ame si ɖoa tom la, anɔ agbe le dedinɔnɔ me eye aɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ, mavɔ̃ na dzɔgbevɔ̃e o.”
But he that hearkens to me shall dwell in confidence, and shall rest securely from all evil.
