Lododowo 16
1 Amegbetɔ tɔe nye dzi ƒe nuɖoɖowo, ke nyaŋuɖoɖo na aɖe tsoa Yehowa gbɔ.
It is the part of man to prepare the soul: and of the Lord to govern the tongue.
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 open to his eyes: the Lord is the weigher of spirits.
3 Tsɔ nu sia nu si nèwɔna la de Yehowa ƒe asi me, ekema wò ɖoɖowo adze edzi na wò.
Lay open thy works to the Lord: and thy thoughts shall be directed.
4 Yehowa wɔ nu sia nu le eƒe ŋudɔwɔnu ta, eɖo ame vɔ̃ɖi la gɔ̃ hã ɖi hena dzɔgbevɔ̃eŋkeke la.
The Lord hath made all things for himself: the wicked also for the evil day.
5 Dadalawo katã nye ŋunyɔnu na Yehowa. Maka ɖe edzi na wò be, womagbe tohehe na wo o.
Every proud man is an abomination to the Lord: though hand should be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice; and this is more acceptable with God, than to offer sacrifices.
6 Woɖea nu vɔ̃ ɖa to lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ me eye ame ƒoa asa na nu vɔ̃ɖi to Yehowavɔvɔ̃ me.
By mercy and truth iniquity is redeemed: and by the fear of the Lord 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 the ways of man shall please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
8 Nu sue si ŋu dzɔdzɔenyenye kpe ɖo la nyo wu nu geɖe si ŋu madzɔmadzɔ kpe ɖo.
Better is a little with justice, than great revenues with iniquity.
9 Ame wɔa ɖoɖo ɖe ale si wòazɔe ŋu le eƒe dzi me, gake Yehowae fiaa ale si wòaɖe afɔe.
The heart of man disposeth his way: but the Lord must direct his steps.
10 Fia ƒe nuyiwo ƒoa nu abe nya gblɔm wòle ɖi ene eya ta eƒe nu megatso afia gbegblẽ o.
Divination is in the lips of the king, his mouth shall 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.
Weight and balance are judgments of the Lord: and his work all the weights of the bag.
12 Nu tovo wɔwɔ nye ŋunyɔnu na fiawo elabena woɖoa fiazikpui anyi ɖe dzɔdzɔenyenye dzi.
They that act wickedly are abominable to the king: for the throne is established by justice.
13 Nuyi siwo dzi alakpa mele o la, doa dzidzɔ na fiawo, wodea asixɔxɔ ame si toa nyateƒe la ŋu.
Just lips are the delight of kings: he that speaketh right things shall be loved.
14 Fia ƒe dziku nye ku ƒe dɔla, ke nunyala alé avui.
The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: and the 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 cheerfulness of the king’s countenance is life: and his clemency is like the latter rain.
16 Aleke nunyaxɔxɔ mehenyo wu sikae o, eye gɔmesesetiatia mehenyo wu klosaloe o!
Get wisdom, because it is better than gold: and purchase prudence, for it is more precious than silver.
17 Ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe mɔtata ƒoa asa na nu vɔ̃ɖi eye ame si dzɔa eƒe mɔ ŋu la dzɔa eƒe agbe ŋuti.
The path of the just departeth from evils: he that keepeth his soul keepeth his way.
18 Dada doa ŋgɔ na gbegblẽ eye ɖokuidodoɖedzi doa ŋgɔ na anyidzedze.
Pride goeth before destruction: and the spirit is lifted up before a fall.
19 Enyo be woabɔbɔ ame ɖokui ɖe anyi le hiãtɔwo dome wu be woama afunyinuwo kple dadalawo.
It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the proud.
20 Nu dzea edzi na ame si ɖoa to nufiame eye woayra ame si tsɔ eƒe mɔkpɔkpɔ da ɖe Yehowa dzi.
The learned in word shall find good things: and he that trusteth in the Lord is blessed.
21 Woyɔa ame siwo nunya le woƒe dzi me la be sidzelawo, eye nya vivi doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and he that is sweet in words shall attain to greater things.
22 Gɔmesese nye agbetsidzidzi na ame siwo ke ɖe eŋuti, ke bometsitsi hea tohehe vɛ na bometsilawo.
Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it: the instruction of fools is foolishness.
23 Nunyala ƒe dzi dzɔa eƒe nu ŋuti eye eƒe nuyiwo doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth: and shall add grace to his lips.
24 Nya nyuiwo nye anyitsito, enana luʋɔ sea vivi, eye wòhea dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na ƒuwo.
Well ordered words are as a honeycomb: sweet to the soul, and health to 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 to a man right: and the ends thereof lead to death.
26 Agbatedɔwɔla ƒe nudzodzro wɔa dɔ nɛ, dɔwuame doa ŋusẽe be wòayi edzi.
The soul of him that laboureth, laboureth for himself, because his mouth hath obliged him to it.
27 Yakame le nu vɔ̃ɖi ɖom eye eƒe nuƒoƒo le abe dzo si le bibim sesĩe la ene.
The wicked man diggeth evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.
28 Ame vɔ̃ɖi dea dzre aƒe eye amenyagblɔla maa xɔlɔ̃ veviwo dome.
A perverse man stirreth up quarrels: and one full of words separateth princes.
29 Ame dzeaglã blea eƒe aƒelika nu, eye wòkplɔnɛ toa mɔ gɔglɔ̃ dzi.
An unjust man allureth his friend: 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 with fixed eyes deviseth wicked things, biting his lips, bringeth: evil to pass.
31 Ta si ƒo wɔ la nye atsyɔ̃fiakuku, agbe dzɔdzɔe nɔnɔe henɛ vɛ.
Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.
32 Enyo be nànye ŋutsu dzigbɔɖitɔ wu kalẽtɔ, ame si ɖu eƒe dziku dzi la nyo wu ame si xɔ du.
The patient man is better than the valiant: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh cities.
33 Wolɔa hotsui ɖe akɔ hetsɔna kaa nui, ke nyametsotso ɖe sia ɖe tso Yehowa gbɔ.
Lots are cast into the lap, but they are disposed of by the Lord.
