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.
Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
2 Ame si ƒe zɔzɔme ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o la vɔ̃a Yehowa, ke ame siwo ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ la doa vloe.
He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is perverse in his ways despises him.
3 Bometsila ƒe nuƒo nana ameƒoti dzea eƒe dzimegbe, ke nunyala ƒe nuyi kpɔa eta.
The fool’s talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect 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 crib is clean, but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
5 Ɖasefo nyateƒetɔ meblea ame o, ke aʋatsoɖasefo ya trɔa alakpa kɔna ɖi glẽglẽglẽ.
A truthful witness will not lie, but a false witness pours out lies.
6 Fewuɖula dia nunya gake mekpɔa ɖeke o, ke gɔmesese vana na ame si si sidzedze le la bɔbɔe.
A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.
7 Te ɖa le bometsila gbɔ elabena màkpɔ gɔmesese le eƒe nu me o.
Stay away from a foolish man, for you won’t find knowledge on his lips.
8 Ayedzelawo ƒe nunyae nye be woabu ta me le woƒe mɔwo ŋu, ke bometsilawo ƒe bometsitsie nye alakpa.
The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.
9 Bometsilawo le alɔme ɖem le nuvɔ̃ŋutivɔsa ŋuti, ke ŋudzedzekpɔkpɔ le dzɔdzɔetɔwo dome.
Fools mock at making atonement for sins, but amongst the upright there is good will.
10 Dzi ɖe sia ɖe nya eya ŋutɔ ƒe vevesese eye ame aɖeke hã mate ŋu ama eƒe dzidzɔ kplii o.
The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.
11 Woatsrɔ̃ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe, ke ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe agbadɔ anɔ anyi ɖaa.
The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
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 right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
13 Le nukoko gɔ̃ hã me la, dzi ase veve eye dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ awu nu le nuxaxa me.
Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.
14 Woaxe fe na tosẽlawo le woƒe mɔwo ta eye nenema ke ame nyui hã axɔ eƒe fetu.
The unfaithful will be repaid for his own ways; likewise a good man will be rewarded for his ways.
15 Susu wodzoetɔ xɔa nya sia nya dzi sena, ke nunyala dea ŋugble le eƒe afɔɖeɖewo ŋuti.
A simple man believes everything, but the prudent man carefully considers his ways.
16 Nunyala léa fu vɔ̃ eye wòvɔa Yehowa, ke bometsila doa dziku kabakaba eye wòwɔa nu dzimagbɔɖitɔe.
A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.
17 Ame si doa dɔmedzoe kabakaba la wɔa bometsinuwo eye wòléa fu ayedzela.
He who is quick to become angry will commit folly, and a crafty man is hated.
18 Susu wodzoetɔwo ƒe domenyinue nye bometsitsi, ke wotsɔa sidzedze ɖɔna na nunyalawo.
The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo adze klo ɖe ame nyuiwo ŋkume eye nenema ke nu tovo wɔlawo awɔ le ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe agbonu.
The evil bow down before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 Ame dahewo ƒe aƒelikawo ke hã ƒoa asa na wo, ke xɔlɔ̃ geɖe nɔa kesinɔtɔwo si.
The poor person is shunned even by his own neighbour, but the rich person has many friends.
21 Ame si do vlo ehavi la wɔ nu vɔ̃, ke woayra ame si nyo dɔ me na hiãtɔ.
He who despises his neighbour sins, but he who has pity on the poor is 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.
Don’t they go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
23 Kutrikuku ɖe dɔwɔna ŋu hea viɖe vɛ, ke nukpoloeƒoƒo ɖeɖe hea ame yia ahedada mee.
In all hard work there is profit, but the talk of the lips leads only to poverty.
24 Nunyalawo ƒe kesinɔnue nye woƒe fiakuku, gake bometsilawo ƒe bometsinuwɔwɔ hea bometsitsi vanɛ.
The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.
25 Ɖasefo nyateƒetɔ ɖea ame geɖewo ƒe agbe, ke aʋatsoɖasefo nye ameblela.
A truthful witness saves souls, but a false witness is deceitful.
26 Ame si vɔ̃a Yehowa la, mɔ sesẽ aɖe le esi eye wòanye bebeƒe na viawo.
In the fear of the LORD is a secure fortress, and he will be a refuge for his children.
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, turning people from the snares of death.
28 Ame xexlẽme gbogbo nye fia ƒe ŋutikɔkɔe, ke ne amewo mele du aɖe me o la, gbegblẽ vaa dumegã dzi.
In the multitude of people is the king’s glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.
29 Sidzedze gã aɖe sua ŋutsu dzigbɔɖitɔ si, ke ŋutsu si doa dziku kabakaba la, ɖea eƒe bometsitsi fiana.
He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a quick temper displays folly.
30 Dzi si me ŋutifafa le la nana agbe ŋutilã gake ŋubiã nana ƒuwo ƒaƒãna.
The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy rots 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 who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honours him.
32 Ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔ la, ame vɔ̃ɖiwo yia to, ke le ku me ke hã la, ame dzɔdzɔewo kpɔa sitsoƒe.
The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.
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.
Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.
34 Dzɔdzɔenyenye doa dukɔ ɖe dzi, ke nu vɔ̃ nye ŋukpe na dukɔmeviwo.
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 Dɔla nyanu ƒe nu nyoa fia ŋu, ke eƒe dɔmedzoe vaa dɔla ŋukpenanuwɔla dzi.
The king’s favour is towards a servant who deals wisely, but his wrath is towards one who causes shame.
