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.
A wise woman builds up her household. But a foolish one will pull down with her own hands what has been built up.
2 Ame si ƒe zɔzɔme ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o la vɔ̃a Yehowa, ke ame siwo ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ la doa vloe.
One who walks on a virtuous journey, and who fears God, is despised by him who advances along a disreputable way.
3 Bometsila ƒe nuƒo nana ameƒoti dzea eƒe dzimegbe, ke nunyala ƒe nuyi kpɔa eta.
In the mouth of the foolish, there is a rod of arrogance. But the lips of the wise guard them.
4 Ne nyiwo meli o la, nyikpo me ɖia gbɔlo, ke woxaa nuku geɖe to nyitsu ƒe ŋusẽ me.
Where there are no oxen, the feeding trough is empty. But where there are many crops, there the strength of the ox is manifest.
5 Ɖasefo nyateƒetɔ meblea ame o, ke aʋatsoɖasefo ya trɔa alakpa kɔna ɖi glẽglẽglẽ.
A faithful witness will not lie. But a deceitful witness offers a lie.
6 Fewuɖula dia nunya gake mekpɔa ɖeke o, ke gɔmesese vana na ame si si sidzedze le la bɔbɔe.
A mocker seeks wisdom and does not find it. The doctrine of the prudent is accessible.
7 Te ɖa le bometsila gbɔ elabena màkpɔ gɔmesese le eƒe nu me o.
Go against a foolish man, and he does not acknowledge lips of prudence.
8 Ayedzelawo ƒe nunyae nye be woabu ta me le woƒe mɔwo ŋu, ke bometsilawo ƒe bometsitsie nye alakpa.
The wisdom of a discerning man is to understand his way. And the imprudence of the foolish is to be wandering astray.
9 Bometsilawo le alɔme ɖem le nuvɔ̃ŋutivɔsa ŋuti, ke ŋudzedzekpɔkpɔ le dzɔdzɔetɔwo dome.
The foolish will speak mockingly of sin. But grace lingers among the just.
10 Dzi ɖe sia ɖe nya eya ŋutɔ ƒe vevesese eye ame aɖeke hã mate ŋu ama eƒe dzidzɔ kplii o.
The heart that knows the bitterness of its own soul, in its gladness the outsider shall not meddle.
11 Woatsrɔ̃ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe, ke ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe agbadɔ anɔ anyi ɖaa.
The house of the impious will be wiped away. Yet truly, the tabernacles of the just shall spring forth.
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 just to a man, but its conclusion leads to death.
13 Le nukoko gɔ̃ hã me la, dzi ase veve eye dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ awu nu le nuxaxa me.
Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow, and mourning occupies the limits of joy.
14 Woaxe fe na tosẽlawo le woƒe mɔwo ta eye nenema ke ame nyui hã axɔ eƒe fetu.
The foolish will be filled up by his own ways. And the good man shall be above him.
15 Susu wodzoetɔ xɔa nya sia nya dzi sena, ke nunyala dea ŋugble le eƒe afɔɖeɖewo ŋuti.
The innocent trust every word. The astute one considers his own steps. Nothing good will be for the deceitful son. But the wise servant shall act prosperously and his way will be set in order.
16 Nunyala léa fu vɔ̃ eye wòvɔa Yehowa, ke bometsila doa dziku kabakaba eye wòwɔa nu dzimagbɔɖitɔe.
The wise fear, and so turn away from evil. The foolish leap ahead with confidence.
17 Ame si doa dɔmedzoe kabakaba la wɔa bometsinuwo eye wòléa fu ayedzela.
The impatient will work foolishness. And a resourceful man is hated.
18 Susu wodzoetɔwo ƒe domenyinue nye bometsitsi, ke wotsɔa sidzedze ɖɔna na nunyalawo.
The childish will possess foolishness, and the discerning will anticipate knowledge.
19 Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo adze klo ɖe ame nyuiwo ŋkume eye nenema ke nu tovo wɔlawo awɔ le ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe agbonu.
The evil will fall down before the good. And the impious will fall down before the gates of the just.
20 Ame dahewo ƒe aƒelikawo ke hã ƒoa asa na wo, ke xɔlɔ̃ geɖe nɔa kesinɔtɔwo si.
The pauper will be hated, even by his own neighbor. Yet truly, the friends of the wealthy are many.
21 Ame si do vlo ehavi la wɔ nu vɔ̃, ke woayra ame si nyo dɔ me na hiãtɔ.
Whoever despises his neighbor, sins. But whoever pities the poor shall be blessed. Whoever trusts in the Lord loves mercy.
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 wander astray who work evil. But mercy and truth prepare good things.
23 Kutrikuku ɖe dɔwɔna ŋu hea viɖe vɛ, ke nukpoloeƒoƒo ɖeɖe hea ame yia ahedada mee.
In every work, there shall be abundance. But where there are many words, there is often need.
24 Nunyalawo ƒe kesinɔnue nye woƒe fiakuku, gake bometsilawo ƒe bometsinuwɔwɔ hea bometsitsi vanɛ.
The crown of the wise is their wealth. The senselessness of the foolish is imprudence.
25 Ɖasefo nyateƒetɔ ɖea ame geɖewo ƒe agbe, ke aʋatsoɖasefo nye ameblela.
A faithful witness frees souls. And the chameleon utters lies.
26 Ame si vɔ̃a Yehowa la, mɔ sesẽ aɖe le esi eye wòanye bebeƒe na viawo.
In the fear of the Lord is the faithfulness of strength, and there shall be hope for his sons.
27 Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye agbe ƒe vudo eye wòɖea ame tso ku ƒe mɔkawo me.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, so as to turn aside from the ruin 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 multitude of people, there is dignity for the king. And in a paucity of people, there is disgrace for the prince.
29 Sidzedze gã aɖe sua ŋutsu dzigbɔɖitɔ si, ke ŋutsu si doa dziku kabakaba la, ɖea eƒe bometsitsi fiana.
Whoever is patient is governed by much prudence. But whoever is impatient exalts his foolishness.
30 Dzi si me ŋutifafa le la nana agbe ŋutilã gake ŋubiã nana ƒuwo ƒaƒãna.
The well-being of the heart is life for the flesh. But envy is decay for 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.
Whoever slanders the indigent argues against his Maker. But he who has compassion on the poor honors his Maker.
32 Ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔ la, ame vɔ̃ɖiwo yia to, ke le ku me ke hã la, ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔa sitsoƒe.
The impious will be expelled in his malice. But the just finds hope even in his own death.
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.
In the heart of the prudent, wisdom finds rest. And so shall he instruct all the uneducated.
34 Dzɔdzɔenyenye doa dukɔ ɖe dzi, ke nu vɔ̃ nye ŋukpe na dukɔmeviwo.
Justice elevates a nation. But sin makes the peoples miserable.
35 Dɔla nyanu ƒe nu nyoa fia ŋu, ke eƒe dɔmedzoe vaa dɔla ŋukpenanuwɔla dzi.
An intelligent minister is acceptable to the king. Whoever is useless shall bear his wrath.
