Lododowo 14
1 Nyɔnu nyanu tua eya ŋutɔ ƒe xɔ, ke nyɔnu bometsila ya tsɔa eya ŋutɔ ƒe asi vuvua xɔ si wòtu la kɔna ɖe anyi.
Wise women build houses: but a foolish one digs [hers] down with her hands.
2 Ame si ƒe zɔzɔme ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o la vɔ̃a Yehowa, ke ame siwo ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ la doa vloe.
He that walks uprightly fears the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways shall be dishonoured.
3 Bometsila ƒe nuƒo nana ameƒoti dzea eƒe dzimegbe, ke nunyala ƒe nuyi kpɔa eta.
Out of the mouth of fools [comes] a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise preserve them.
4 Ne nyiwo meli o la, nyikpo me ɖia gbɔlo, ke woxaa nuku geɖe to nyitsu ƒe ŋusẽ me.
Where no oxen are, the cribs are clean; but where there is abundant produce, the strength of the ox is apparent.
5 Ɖasefo nyateƒetɔ meblea ame o, ke aʋatsoɖasefo ya trɔa alakpa kɔna ɖi glẽglẽglẽ.
A faithful witness does not lie; but an unjust witness kindles falsehoods.
6 Fewuɖula dia nunya gake mekpɔa ɖeke o, ke gɔmesese vana na ame si si sidzedze le la bɔbɔe.
Thou shalt seek wisdom with bad men, and shalt not find it; but discretion is easily available with the prudent.
7 Te ɖa le bometsila gbɔ elabena màkpɔ gɔmesese le eƒe nu me o.
All things are adverse to a foolish man; but wise lips are the weapons of discretion.
8 Ayedzelawo ƒe nunyae nye be woabu ta me le woƒe mɔwo ŋu, ke bometsilawo ƒe bometsitsie nye alakpa.
The wisdom of the prudent will understand their ways; but the folly of fools leads astray.
9 Bometsilawo le alɔme ɖem le nuvɔ̃ŋutivɔsa ŋuti, ke ŋudzedzekpɔkpɔ le dzɔdzɔetɔwo dome.
The houses of transgressors will need purification; but the houses of the just are acceptable.
10 Dzi ɖe sia ɖe nya eya ŋutɔ ƒe vevesese eye ame aɖeke hã mate ŋu ama eƒe dzidzɔ kplii o.
[If] a man's mind is intelligent, his soul is sorrowful; and when he rejoices, he has no fellowship with pride.
11 Woatsrɔ̃ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe, ke ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe agbadɔ anɔ anyi ɖaa.
The houses of ungodly men shall be utterly destroyed; but the tabernacles of them that walk uprightly shall stand.
12 Mɔ aɖe li, si le dzɔdzɔe le ame ƒe ŋkume, ke le nuwuwua la, ekplɔa ame yia ku mee.
There is a way which seems to be right with men, but the ends of it reach to the depths of hell. (questioned)
13 Le nukoko gɔ̃ hã me la, dzi ase veve eye dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ awu nu le nuxaxa me.
Grief mingles not with mirth; and joy in the end comes to grief.
14 Woaxe fe na tosẽlawo le woƒe mɔwo ta eye nenema ke ame nyui hã axɔ eƒe fetu.
A stout-hearted [man] shall be filled with his own ways; and a good man with his own thoughts.
15 Susu wodzoetɔ xɔa nya sia nya dzi sena, ke nunyala dea ŋugble le eƒe afɔɖeɖewo ŋuti.
The simple believes every word: but the prudent man betakes himself to after-thought.
16 Nunyala léa fu vɔ̃ eye wòvɔa Yehowa, ke bometsila doa dziku kabakaba eye wòwɔa nu dzimagbɔɖitɔe.
A wise man fears, and departs from evil; but the fool trusts in himself, and joins himself with the transgressor.
17 Ame si doa dɔmedzoe kabakaba la wɔa bometsinuwo eye wòléa fu ayedzela.
A passionate man acts inconsiderately; but a sensible man bears up under many things.
18 Susu wodzoetɔwo ƒe domenyinue nye bometsitsi, ke wotsɔa sidzedze ɖɔna na nunyalawo.
Fools shall have mischief for their portion; but the prudent shall take fast hold of understanding.
19 Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo adze klo ɖe ame nyuiwo ŋkume eye nenema ke nu tovo wɔlawo awɔ le ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe agbonu.
Evil men shall fall before the good; and the ungodly shall attend at the gates of the righteous.
20 Ame dahewo ƒe aƒelikawo ke hã ƒoa asa na wo, ke xɔlɔ̃ geɖe nɔa kesinɔtɔwo si.
Friends will hate poor friends; but the friends of the rich are many.
21 Ame si do vlo ehavi la wɔ nu vɔ̃, ke woayra ame si nyo dɔ me na hiãtɔ.
He that dishonours the needy sins: but he that has pity on the poor is most blessed.
22 Ame siwo ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖi la traa mɔ ke ame siwo wɔa ɖoɖo ɖe nu nyui wɔwɔ ŋu la xɔa lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ ƒe teƒeɖoɖo.
They that go astray devise evils: but the good devise mercy and truth. The framers of evil do not understand mercy and truth: but compassion and faithfulness are with the framers of good.
23 Kutrikuku ɖe dɔwɔna ŋu hea viɖe vɛ, ke nukpoloeƒoƒo ɖeɖe hea ame yia ahedada mee.
With every one [who is] careful there is abundance: but the pleasure-taking and indolent shall be in want.
24 Nunyalawo ƒe kesinɔnue nye woƒe fiakuku, gake bometsilawo ƒe bometsinuwɔwɔ hea bometsitsi vanɛ.
A prudent man is the crown of the wise: but the occupation of fools is evil.
25 Ɖasefo nyateƒetɔ ɖea ame geɖewo ƒe agbe, ke aʋatsoɖasefo nye ameblela.
A faithful witness shall deliver a soul from evil: but a deceitful [man] kindles falsehoods.
26 Ame si vɔ̃a Yehowa la, mɔ sesẽ aɖe le esi eye wòanye bebeƒe na viawo.
In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and he leaves his children a support.
27 Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye agbe ƒe vudo eye wòɖea ame tso ku ƒe mɔkawo me.
The commandment of the Lord is a fountain of life; and it causes [men] to turn aside from the snare of death.
28 Ame xexlẽme gbogbo nye fia ƒe ŋutikɔkɔe, ke ne amewo mele du aɖe me o la, gbegblẽ vaa dumegã dzi.
In a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure of people is the ruin of a prince.
29 Sidzedze gã aɖe sua ŋutsu dzigbɔɖitɔ si, ke ŋutsu si doa dziku kabakaba la, ɖea eƒe bometsitsi fiana.
A man slow to wrath abounds in wisdom: but a man of impatient spirit is very foolish.
30 Dzi si me ŋutifafa le la nana agbe ŋutilã gake ŋubiã nana ƒuwo ƒaƒãna.
A meek-spirited man is a healer of the heart: but a sensitive heart is a corruption of the bones.
31 Ame si tea ame dahewo ɖe anyi la doa vlo wo Wɔla, ke ame si nyoa dɔ me na hiãtɔ la dea bubu Mawu ŋuti.
He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honours him has pity upon the poor.
32 Ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔ la, ame vɔ̃ɖiwo yia to, ke le ku me ke hã la, ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔa sitsoƒe.
The ungodly shall be driven away in his wickedness: but he who is secure in his own holiness is just.
33 Ame si si sidzedze su la, nunya tsoa aƒe ɖe eƒe dzi me, eye le bometsilawo dome gɔ̃ hã la, enana wodzea si ame si ƒomevi wònye.
There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned.
34 Dzɔdzɔenyenye doa dukɔ ɖe dzi, ke nu vɔ̃ nye ŋukpe na dukɔmeviwo.
Righteousness exalts a nation: but sins diminish tribes.
35 Dɔla nyanu ƒe nu nyoa fia ŋu, ke eƒe dɔmedzoe vaa dɔla ŋukpenanuwɔla dzi.
An understanding servant is acceptable to a king; and by his good behaviour he removes disgrace.
