< Lododowo 16 >
1 Amegbetɔ tɔe nye dzi ƒe nuɖoɖowo, ke nyaŋuɖoɖo na aɖe tsoa Yehowa gbɔ.
The purposes of the heart are of man, but the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.
2 Fɔɖiɖi menɔa ame ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo ŋu le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume o, ke Yehowa daa susuwo kpɔ.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the spirits.
3 Tsɔ nu sia nu si nèwɔna la de Yehowa ƒe asi me, ekema wò ɖoɖowo adze edzi na wò.
Commit thy works unto Jehovah, and thy thoughts shall be established.
4 Yehowa wɔ nu sia nu le eƒe ŋudɔwɔnu ta, eɖo ame vɔ̃ɖi la gɔ̃ hã ɖi hena dzɔgbevɔ̃eŋkeke la.
Jehovah hath wrought everything on his own account, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5 Dadalawo katã nye ŋunyɔnu na Yehowa. Maka ɖe edzi na wò be, womagbe tohehe na wo o.
Every proud heart is an abomination to Jehovah: hand for hand, he shall not be held innocent.
6 Woɖea nu vɔ̃ ɖa to lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ me eye ame ƒoa asa na nu vɔ̃ɖi to Yehowavɔvɔ̃ me.
By loving-kindness and truth iniquity is atoned for; and by the fear of Jehovah [men] depart from evil.
7 Ne ame aɖe ƒe mɔwo nyo Yehowa ŋu la, enana eƒe futɔwo gɔ̃ hã nɔa anyi kplii le ŋutifafa me.
When a man's ways please Jehovah, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Nu sue si ŋu dzɔdzɔenyenye kpe ɖo la nyo wu nu geɖe si ŋu madzɔmadzɔ kpe ɖo.
Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right.
9 Ame wɔa ɖoɖo ɖe ale si wòazɔe ŋu le eƒe dzi me, gake Yehowae fiaa ale si wòaɖe afɔe.
The heart of man deviseth his way, but Jehovah directeth his steps.
10 Fia ƒe nuyiwo ƒoa nu abe nya gblɔm wòle ɖi ene eya ta eƒe nu megatso afia gbegblẽ o.
An oracle is on the lips of the king: his mouth will not err in judgment.
11 Nudakpe kple nudanu vavãwo tso Yehowa gbɔ eye nenema ke nudakpe siwo katã le akplo me hã nye eƒe nuwɔwɔ.
The just balance and scales are Jehovah's; all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 Nu tovo wɔwɔ nye ŋunyɔnu na fiawo elabena woɖoa fiazikpui anyi ɖe dzɔdzɔenyenye dzi.
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness; for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 Nuyi siwo dzi alakpa mele o la, doa dzidzɔ na fiawo, wodea asixɔxɔ ame si toa nyateƒe la ŋu.
Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him that speaketh aright.
14 Fia ƒe dziku nye ku ƒe dɔla, ke nunyala alé avui.
The fury of a king is [as] messengers of death; but a wise man will pacify it.
15 Ne fia ɖo mo kɔkɔe la, egɔmee nye agbe eye eƒe amenuveve le abe tsiɖoɖo le adame ene.
In the light of the king's countenance is life, and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
16 Aleke nunyaxɔxɔ mehenyo wu sikae o, eye gɔmesesetiatia mehenyo wu klosaloe o!
How much better is it to get wisdom than fine gold, and the getting of intelligence to be preferred to silver!
17 Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe mɔtata ƒoa asa na nu vɔ̃ɖi eye ame si dzɔa eƒe mɔ ŋu la dzɔa eƒe agbe ŋuti.
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that taketh heed to his way keepeth his soul.
18 Dada doa ŋgɔ na gbegblẽ eye ɖokuidodoɖedzi doa ŋgɔ na anyidzedze.
Pride [goeth] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Enyo be woabɔbɔ ame ɖokui ɖe anyi le hiãtɔwo dome wu be woama afunyinuwo kple dadalawo.
Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the meek, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Nu dzea edzi na ame si ɖoa to nufiame eye woayra ame si tsɔ eƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ da ɖe Yehowa dzi.
He that giveth heed to the word shall find good; and whoso confideth in Jehovah, happy is he.
21 Woyɔa ame siwo nunya le woƒe dzi me la be sidzelawo, eye nya vivi doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
The wise in heart is called intelligent, and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
22 Gɔmesese nye agbetsidzidzi na ame siwo ke ɖe eŋuti, ke bometsitsi hea tohehe vɛ na bometsilawo.
Wisdom is a fountain of life for him that hath it; but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 Nunyala ƒe dzi dzɔa eƒe nu ŋuti eye eƒe nuyiwo doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
The heart of the wise maketh his mouth intelligent, and upon his lips increaseth learning.
24 Nya nyuiwo nye anyitsito, enana luʋɔ sea vivi, eye wòhea dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na ƒuwo.
Pleasant words are [as] a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health for the bones.
25 Mɔ aɖe li si le dzɔdzɔe le ame ƒe ŋkume, ke le nuwuwua la, ekplɔa ame yia ku mee.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death.
26 Agbatedɔwɔla ƒe nudzodzro wɔa dɔ nɛ, dɔwuame doa ŋusẽe be wòayi edzi.
The appetite of the labourer laboureth for him, for his mouth urgeth him on.
27 Yakame le nu vɔ̃ɖi ɖom eye eƒe nuƒoƒo le abe dzo si le bibim sesĩe la ene.
A man of Belial diggeth up evil, and on his lips there is as a scorching fire.
28 Ame vɔ̃ɖi dea dzre aƒe eye amenyagblɔla maa xɔlɔ̃ veviwo dome.
A false man soweth contention; and a talebearer separateth very friends.
29 Ame dzeaglã blea eƒe aƒelika nu, eye wòkplɔnɛ toa mɔ gɔglɔ̃ dzi.
A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into a way that is not good.
30 Ame si le ŋku trom la le nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe ɖom, eye ame si mia eƒe nu ɖe nu dzi la awɔ vɔ̃ godoo.
He that shutteth his eyes, [it is] to devise froward things; biting his lips, he bringeth evil to pass.
31 Ta si ƒo wɔ la nye atsyɔ̃fiakuku, agbe dzɔdzɔe nɔnɔe henɛ vɛ.
The hoary head is a crown of glory, [if] it is found in the way of righteousness.
32 Enyo be nànye ŋutsu dzigbɔɖitɔ wu kalẽtɔ, ame si ɖu eƒe dziku dzi la nyo wu ame si xɔ du.
He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
33 Wolɔa hotsui ɖe akɔ hetsɔna kaa nui, ke nyametsotso ɖe sia ɖe tso Yehowa gbɔ.
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole decision is of Jehovah.