< Lododowo 13 >
1 Vi nyanu ɖoa to fofoa ƒe amehehe, ke fewuɖula metsɔa ɖeke le mokaname me o.
A wise son listeneth to the instruction of his father; But a scoffer listeneth not to rebuke.
2 Ame ƒe nu ƒe kutsetsee wòtsɔna ɖua nu nyuiwoe, ke nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe dzi tsi dzi ɖe nu vlo wɔwɔ ŋuti.
By the fruit of a man's mouth he shall eat good; But the appetite of transgressors shall be sated with violence.
3 Ame si dzɔa eƒe nuyiwo ŋuti la dzɔa eƒe agbe ŋuti, ke ame si kea nu kabakaba la atsrɔ̃.
He who keepeth his mouth keepeth his life; But destruction shall be to him who openeth wide his lips.
4 Nu dzroa kuviatɔ vevie gake mekpɔa naneke o, ke vevidonula ƒe didiwo vaa eme nɛ.
The appetite of the sluggard longeth, and hath nothing; But the appetite of the diligent is fully satisfied.
5 Ame dzɔdzɔe léa fu alakpanya, ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ya hea ŋukpe kple vlododo vɛ.
A righteous man hateth words of falsehood; But a wicked man causeth disgrace and shame.
6 Dzɔdzɔenyenye dzɔa ŋutsu fɔmaɖila ƒe agbe ŋuti, ke vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi léa nu vɔ̃ wɔla ƒua anyi.
Righteousness preserveth him who is upright in his way; But wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
7 Ame aɖe wɔna abe kesinɔtɔe wònye ene, evɔ naneke mele esi o, ame bubu wɔa eɖokui ame dahee, evɔ kesinɔnu geɖe le esi.
There is who maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing, Who maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
8 Ame ƒe kesinɔnuwo ate ŋu aƒle eƒe agbe ta gake ame dahe mesea ŋɔdzidoname aɖeke o.
A man's wealth is the ransom of his life; But the poor man heareth no threatenings.
9 Ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe kekeli klẽna nyuie, ke wotsia ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe akaɖi.
The light of the righteous shall rejoice; But the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
10 Dzre sɔŋ ko dada hena vɛ, ke nunya tsoa aƒe ɖe ame siwo sea aɖaŋu la gbɔ.
By pride cometh only contention; But with the well-advised is wisdom.
11 Ga si wokpɔ to mɔ fitifiti dzi la nu va yina, ke ame si dia ga vivivi la wɔnɛ be wòdzina ɖe edzi.
Wealth gotten by vanity will become small; But he who gathereth it into the hand increaseth it.
12 Mɔkpɔkpɔ si woɖe ɖa la nana dzi léa dɔ, ke didi si va eme la nye agbeti.
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; But the desire accomplished is a tree of life.
13 Ame si doa vlo amehehe la xɔa eŋufetu, ke ame si ɖoa to sedede la xɔa eteƒeɖoɖo.
He that despiseth the word shall be destroyed; But he who revereth the commandment shall be rewarded.
14 Nunyala ƒe nufiafia nye agbevudo, eye wòɖea ame tso ku ƒe mɔkawo me.
The instruction of the wise is a fountain of life; By it men escape from the snares of death.
15 Gɔmesese nyui hea amenuveve vanɛ, ke nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe mɔ dzi sesẽna.
A good understanding winneth favor; But the way of transgressors is hard.
16 Nunyala ɖe sia ɖe wɔa nu kple gɔmesese, ke bometsila ɖea eƒe bometsitsi fiana.
Every prudent man acteth with knowledge; But a fool spreadeth abroad his folly.
17 Dɔtsɔla vɔ̃ɖi gena ɖe dzɔgbevɔ̃e me, ke dɔtsɔla si wɔa nuteƒe la hea dɔyɔyɔ vanɛ.
A wicked messenger falleth into trouble; But a faithful ambassador is health.
18 Ame si do toku amehehe la, ahedada kple ŋukpe vaa edzi, ke wodea bubu ame si lɔ̃a mokaname ŋuti.
Poverty and shame are for him who rejecteth instruction; But he that regardeth reproof shall come to honor.
19 Didi si vaa eme la vivina na luʋɔ, ke vɔ̃tsitsri nye ŋunyɔ na bometsilawo.
The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul; But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 Ame si zɔna kple nunyala la, dzea nunya, ke ame si dzea xɔ̃ bometsilawo la gena ɖe fuwɔame me.
He who walketh with wise men shall be wise; But the companion of fools shall be destroyed.
21 Dzɔgbevɔ̃e tia vɔ̃wɔla yome gake dzɔgbenyui nye ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe fetu.
Calamity pursueth the wicked; But the righteous is rewarded with good.
22 Ame nyui gblẽa domenyinu ɖi na via ƒe viwo, ke woɖoa ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe kesinɔnuwo ɖi na ame dzɔdzɔewo.
The good man leaveth his substance to his children's children; But the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
23 Ame dahe ƒe agble wɔa nuku geɖe, ke amebaba kplɔnɛ dzonae.
There is much food from the fallow-ground of the poor; But there is who is brought low for want of uprightness.
24 Ame si vea nu le ameƒoti gbɔ la léa fu via, ke ame si lɔ̃a via la kpɔa egbɔ be yehee nyuie.
He that spareth the rod hateth his son; But he who loveth him chasteneth him early.
25 Ame dzɔdzɔe ɖua nu ɖia ƒo, ke dɔ wua ame vɔ̃ɖi ya.
The righteous man eateth to the satisfying of his desire; But the stomach of the wicked suffereth want.