Lododowo 16
1 Amegbetɔ tɔe nye dzi ƒe nuɖoɖowo, ke nyaŋuɖoɖo na aɖe tsoa Yehowa gbɔ.
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.
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 Yahweh weighs the motives.
3 Tsɔ nu sia nu si nèwɔna la de Yehowa ƒe asi me, ekema wò ɖoɖowo adze edzi na wò.
Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed.
4 Yehowa wɔ nu sia nu le eƒe ŋudɔwɔnu ta, eɖo ame vɔ̃ɖi la gɔ̃ hã ɖi hena dzɔgbevɔ̃eŋkeke la.
Yahweh has made everything for its own end— yes, 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.
Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh; they shall certainly not be unpunished.
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 atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh 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 Yahweh, he makes 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 with injustice.
9 Ame wɔa ɖoɖo ɖe ale si wòazɔe ŋu le eƒe dzi me, gake Yehowae fiaa ale si wòaɖe afɔe.
A man’s heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps.
10 Fia ƒe nuyiwo ƒoa nu abe nya gblɔm wòle ɖi ene eya ta eƒe nu megatso afia gbegblẽ o.
Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
11 Nudakpe kple nudanu vavãwo tso Yehowa gbɔ eye nenema ke nudakpe siwo katã le akplo me hã nye eƒe nuwɔwɔ.
Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 Nu tovo wɔwɔ nye ŋunyɔnu na fiawo elabena woɖoa fiazikpui anyi ɖe dzɔdzɔenyenye dzi.
It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, 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. They value one who speaks the truth.
14 Fia ƒe dziku nye ku ƒe dɔla, ke nunyala alé avui.
The king’s wrath is a messenger 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 face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
16 Aleke nunyaxɔxɔ mehenyo wu sikae o, eye gɔmesesetiatia mehenyo wu klosaloe o!
How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather 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 highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18 Dada doa ŋgɔ na gbegblẽ eye ɖokuidodoɖedzi doa ŋgɔ na anyidzedze.
Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit 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 of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder 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 who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Yahweh 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. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
22 Gɔmesese nye agbetsidzidzi na ame siwo ke ɖe eŋuti, ke bometsitsi hea tohehe vɛ na bometsilawo.
Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.
23 Nunyala ƒe dzi dzɔa eƒe nu ŋuti eye eƒe nuyiwo doa nufiame ɖe ŋgɔ.
The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
24 Nya nyuiwo nye anyitsito, enana luʋɔ sea vivi, eye wòhea dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na ƒuwo.
Pleasant words are 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 which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
26 Agbatedɔwɔla ƒe nudzodzro wɔa dɔ nɛ, dɔwuame doa ŋusẽe be wòayi edzi.
The appetite of the laboring man labors for him, for his mouth urges him on.
27 Yakame le nu vɔ̃ɖi ɖom eye eƒe nuƒoƒo le abe dzo si le bibim sesĩe la ene.
A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.
28 Ame vɔ̃ɖi dea dzre aƒe eye amenyagblɔla maa xɔlɔ̃ veviwo dome.
A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.
29 Ame dzeaglã blea eƒe aƒelika nu, eye wòkplɔnɛ toa mɔ gɔglɔ̃ dzi.
A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in 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.
One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
31 Ta si ƒo wɔ la nye atsyɔ̃fiakuku, agbe dzɔdzɔe nɔnɔe henɛ vɛ.
Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.
32 Enyo be nànye ŋutsu dzigbɔɖitɔ wu kalẽtɔ, ame si ɖu eƒe dziku dzi la nyo wu ame si xɔ du.
One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes 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 its every decision is from Yahweh.
