Lododowo 11
1 Yehowa tsri nudanu amebatɔ, ke nudakpe si de blibo la nye eƒe dzidzɔ.
Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight.
2 Dada doa ŋgɔ na ŋukpeɖuɖu, ke ɖokuibɔbɔ hea nunya vɛ.
When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.
3 Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe ta me nyui ɖoɖo kplɔa wo, ke nuteƒemawɔlawo la, woƒe dzi me eve susu tsrɔ̃a wo.
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the faithless destroys them.
4 Kesinɔnu nye nu dzodzro le dzikudogbe, ke dzɔdzɔenyenye ɖea ame tso ku me.
Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
5 Ame maɖifɔwo ƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye taa mɔ dzɔdzɔe ɖe wo ŋgɔ, ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe vɔ̃wɔwɔ hea wo ƒua anyi.
The righteousness of the blameless directs their path, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
6 Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe nu dzɔdzɔe wɔwɔ ɖea wo, ke didi vlowo zua mɔ ɖea nuteƒemawɔlawo.
The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the faithless are trapped by their own desires.
7 Ne ame vɔ̃ɖi ku la, eƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ tsrɔ̃na, nu siwo katã wòle mɔ kpɔm na tso eƒe ŋusẽ me la zua tofloko.
When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes, and the hope of his strength vanishes.
8 Woɖea ame dzɔdzɔe tso fu me eye wòvaa ame vɔ̃ɖi la dzi boŋ.
The righteous man is delivered from trouble; in his place the wicked man goes in.
9 Mawumavɔ̃la tsɔa eƒe nu gblẽa ehavi domee, ke woɖea ame dzɔdzɔe la to sidzedze me.
With his mouth the ungodly man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.
10 Ne nu dze edzi na ame dzɔdzɔe la, du blibo kpɔa dzidzɔ, ke ne ame vɔ̃ɖi tsrɔ̃ la, wodoa dzidzɔɣli.
When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
11 To dzɔdzɔetɔ ƒe yayra dzi wodoa du ɖe dzi, ke wotsrɔ̃nɛ to ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe nu dzi.
By the blessing of the upright a city is built up, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
12 Ame manyanu doa vlo ehavi, ke ŋutsu nugɔmesela léa eƒe aɖe.
Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment, but a man of understanding remains silent.
13 Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla, ke ame ɖɔʋu ɣlaa nya.
A gossip reveals a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
14 Dukɔ aɖe dzea anyi, ne mɔfiala meli o, ke dziɖuɖu vana to aɖaŋuɖola geɖewo dzi.
For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.
15 Ame si de megbe na ame bubu la akpe fu, ke ame si gbe akpesisi abe ŋugbedodo ƒe dzesi ene la anɔ dedie.
He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.
16 Wodea bubu nyɔnu dɔmenyotɔ ŋu, ke ŋutsu ŋutasẽlawo ƒe asi sua kesinɔnu ko dzi.
A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
17 Ŋuistu dɔmenyotɔ wɔa nyui na eɖokui, gake ŋutsu ŋutasẽla hea hiã vaa eɖokui dzii.
A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
18 Woxea fetu si me beble le la na ame vɔ̃ɖi, ke ame si ƒã dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe ku la axa nu geɖe.
The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.
19 Ame si nye dzɔdzɔetɔ vavã la, akpɔ agbe, ke ame si ti nu vɔ̃ɖi yome la yia eƒe ku me.
Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuit of evil brings death.
20 Yehowa tsri ame siwo ƒe dzi daa alakpa, ke ame siwo fɔɖiɖi mele woƒe mɔwo ŋu o la ƒe nu nyoa eŋu.
The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His delight.
21 Maka ɖe esia dzi na mi be, womagbe tohehe na ame vɔ̃ɖi la o, ke woana ablɔɖe ame dzɔdzɔewo.
Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.
22 Abe ale si sikaŋɔtigɛ nɔa ha ƒe ŋɔtimee ene la, nenema kee nye nyɔnu dzetugbe si meɖoa ŋu ɖo o.
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
23 Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe didiwo vaa eme na wo nyuie, ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ wua nu le dziku me.
The desire of the righteous leads only to good, but the hope of the wicked brings wrath.
24 Ame ɖeka naa nu faa gake egakpɔa geɖe ɖe edzi, ame bubu vea nu le nu si wòle be wòana la ŋu gake ahe ko wòdana.
One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.
25 Nu adze dzi na ame si na nu faa, ame si na amewo ƒe dzi dze eme la, woana eya ŋutɔ hã ƒe dzi nadze eme.
A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
26 Ame si tsɔ bli ɣla la amewo aƒo fi adee gake yayra ava ame si lɔ̃ be yeadzra etɔ la dzi.
The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.
27 Ame si ti nyui yome la, amewo adi nyui nɛ gake vɔ̃ vana na ame si le vɔ̃ dim.
He who searches out good finds favor, but evil will come to him who seeks it.
28 Ame si tsɔ eƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ da ɖe eƒe kesinɔnuwo dzi la adze anyi gake ame dzɔdzɔe awɔ mlɔmlɔmlɔ abe gbe dama ene.
He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.
29 Ame si he dzɔgbevɔ̃e va eƒe ƒome dzi la, ya anye eƒe domenyinu eye bometsila anye subɔla na nunyala.
He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
30 Ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe kutsetse nye agbeti, eye ame si ɖea luʋɔwo la, nunyalae.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
31 Ne ame dzɔdzɔewo xɔ wo tɔ gome le anyigba dzi la, ekema aleke wòahanɔ na mawumavɔ̃lawo kple nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo!
If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
