Lododowo 11
1 Yehowa tsri nudanu amebatɔ, ke nudakpe si de blibo la nye eƒe dzidzɔ.
A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but accurate weights are his delight.
2 Dada doa ŋgɔ na ŋukpeɖuɖu, ke ɖokuibɔbɔ hea nunya vɛ.
When pride comes, then comes shame, 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 shall guide them, but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.
4 Kesinɔnu nye nu dzodzro le dzikudogbe, ke dzɔdzɔenyenye ɖea ame tso ku me.
Riches don’t profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers 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 will direct his way, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
6 Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe nu dzɔdzɔe wɔwɔ ɖea wo, ke didi vlowo zua mɔ ɖea nuteƒemawɔlawo.
The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but the unfaithful will be trapped by evil 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 a wicked man dies, hope perishes, and expectation of power comes to nothing.
8 Woɖea ame dzɔdzɔe tso fu me eye wòvaa ame vɔ̃ɖi la dzi boŋ.
A righteous person is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked takes his place.
9 Mawumavɔ̃la tsɔa eƒe nu gblẽa ehavi domee, ke woɖea ame dzɔdzɔe la to sidzedze me.
With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbour, but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.
10 Ne nu dze edzi na ame dzɔdzɔe la, du blibo kpɔa dzidzɔ, ke ne ame vɔ̃ɖi tsrɔ̃ la, wodoa dzidzɔɣli.
When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. When the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11 To dzɔdzɔetɔ ƒe yayra dzi wodoa du ɖe dzi, ke wotsrɔ̃nɛ to ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe nu dzi.
By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12 Ame manyanu doa vlo ehavi, ke ŋutsu nugɔmesela léa eƒe aɖe.
One who despises his neighbour is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding holds his peace.
13 Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla, ke ame ɖɔʋu ɣlaa nya.
One who brings gossip betrays a confidence, but one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.
14 Dukɔ aɖe dzea anyi, ne mɔfiala meli o, ke dziɖuɖu vana to aɖaŋuɖola geɖewo dzi.
Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counsellors there is victory.
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 is collateral for a stranger will suffer for it, but he who refuses pledges of collateral is secure.
16 Wodea bubu nyɔnu dɔmenyotɔ ŋu, ke ŋutsu ŋutasẽlawo ƒe asi sua kesinɔnu ko dzi.
A gracious woman obtains honour, but violent men obtain riches.
17 Ŋuistu dɔmenyotɔ wɔa nyui na eɖokui, gake ŋutsu ŋutasẽla hea hiã vaa eɖokui dzii.
The merciful man does good to his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.
18 Woxea fetu si me beble le la na ame vɔ̃ɖi, ke ame si ƒã dzɔdzɔenyenye ƒe ku la axa nu geɖe.
Wicked people earn deceitful wages, but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
19 Ame si nye dzɔdzɔetɔ vavã la, akpɔ agbe, ke ame si ti nu vɔ̃ɖi yome la yia eƒe ku me.
He who is truly righteous gets life. He who pursues evil gets death.
20 Yehowa tsri ame siwo ƒe dzi daa alakpa, ke ame siwo fɔɖiɖi mele woƒe mɔwo ŋu o la ƒe nu nyoa eŋu.
Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those whose ways are blameless are his delight.
21 Maka ɖe esia dzi na mi be, womagbe tohehe na ame vɔ̃ɖi la o, ke woana ablɔɖe ame dzɔdzɔewo.
Most certainly, the evil man will not be unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
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 is only good. The expectation of the wicked is 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.
There is one who scatters, and increases yet more. There is one who withholds more than is appropriate, but gains poverty.
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.
The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself.
26 Ame si tsɔ bli ɣla la amewo aƒo fi adee gake yayra ava ame si lɔ̃ be yeadzra etɔ la dzi.
People curse someone who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him 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 diligently seeks good seeks favour, but he who searches after evil, it shall come to him.
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 shall flourish as the green leaf.
29 Ame si he dzɔgbevɔ̃e va eƒe ƒome dzi la, ya anye eƒe domenyinu eye bometsila anye subɔla na nunyala.
He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind. The foolish shall 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. He who is wise wins souls.
31 Ne ame dzɔdzɔewo xɔ wo tɔ gome le anyigba dzi la, ekema aleke wòahanɔ na mawumavɔ̃lawo kple nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo!
Behold, the righteous shall be repaid in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!
