Lododowo 17
1 Abolo ƒuƒlu sue ɖuɖu si ŋu ŋutifafa kple dziɖeɖi kpe ɖo la nyo wu aƒe si me yɔ fũu kple agbeɖuɖu eye dzre kpe ɖe eŋu.
It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 Dɔla nyanu aɖu aƒetɔ ɖe viŋutsu ŋukpenanuwɔla dzi eye ama domenyinu la kpli wo abe wo nɔviŋutsu wònye ene.
A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Sonu li na klosalo eye dzokpo li na sika, ke Yehowae doa dziwo katã kpɔ.
The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
4 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa to nuyi vɔ̃ɖiwo eye aʋatsotɔ ƒua to anyi ɖe aɖe si gblẽa ame ŋu la ŋu.
The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Ame si ɖea alɔme le ame dahe ŋuti la doa vlo woƒe Wɔla eye ame si kpɔa dzidzɔ be dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔ la, womagbe tohehe nɛ o.
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
6 Ame si ku amegã la ƒe fiakukue nye viawo ƒe viwo eye dzilawo nye atsyɔ̃ na wo viwo.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
7 Nuyi siwo doa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe dzi la medzena bometsila kaka alakpanuyiwo nahayi dziɖula dze ge o!
Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
8 Zãnu nye kpe xɔasi na ame si nae, afi sia afi si wòayi la, edzea dzi nɛ.
A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Ame si tsɔ nu tsyɔ vodada dzi la doa lɔlɔ̃ ɖe ŋgɔ eye ame si gawɔ nu si wòwɔ va yi la maa xɔlɔ̃ veviwo dome.
Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
10 Mokaname dea ta me na ame si si sidzedze le wu nu si ƒoƒo alafa ɖeka nye na bometsila.
A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
11 Ame vɔ̃ɖi la ɖoe kplikpaa be yeadze aglã eya ta woadɔ dumegã sẽŋuta ɖe eŋu.
An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Enyo be nàdo go sisiblisi si ŋu woɖe viwo le wu esi nàdo go bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi me.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
13 Ne ŋutsu tsɔ vɔ̃ ɖo nyui teƒe la, vɔ̃ madzo ɖa le eƒe aƒe me kpɔ gbeɖe o.
When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 Dzregɔmetoto le abe ale si woŋɔa tɔʋu ene; eya ta ɖe asi le nya ŋu hafi wòava zu dzre.
The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.
15 Afiatsotso na agɔdzela, kple fɔbubu agɔmadzela siaa nye nu si Yehowa tsri.
The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 Ŋudɔwɔnu ka ga nye le bometsila ƒe asi me, esi didi aɖeke mele eme ɖe nunyadidi ŋuti o?
Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
17 Xɔlɔ̃ lɔ̃a ame ɣeawo katã ɣi, ke wodzi nɔviŋutsu hena hiãgbe.
A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
18 Ame manyanu ƒua asi akɔ eye wòdoa ŋugbe tsɔa eɖokui daa megbee na ehavi si nyi fe.
A man having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
19 Ame si lɔ̃ dzrewɔwɔ la lɔ̃a nu vɔ̃ eye ame si de agbo kɔkɔ eƒe aƒe nu la le gbegblẽ dim.
Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
20 Ame si si dzi dovo le la nu medzea edzi nɛ o eye ame si si alakpaɖe le la gena ɖe fukpekpe me.
A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
21 Viŋutsu si tsi bome la hea veve vɛ, eye fofo si, si vi tsibome le la makpɔ dzidzɔ o.
Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Dzi si kpɔa dzidzɔ la nye atike nyui, ke gbɔgbɔ si wote ɖe to la nana ƒu tome ƒuna kplakplakpla.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 Ame vɔ̃ɖi xɔa zãnu le bebeme be wòatrɔ nya dzɔdzɔe atsyɔ anyi.
A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Ame si si sidzedze le la ƒe ŋku nɔa nunya ŋu, ke bometsila ƒe ŋkuwo tsana, dona ɖe anyigba ƒe mlɔenu ke.
The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are set on the ends of the earth.
25 Viŋutsu tsibome hea nuxaxa vɛ na fofoa kple veve vɛ na ame si dzii.
A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
26 Menyo be woahe to na fɔmaɖila alo aƒo dɔnunɔla ɖe eƒe nuteƒewɔwɔ ta o.
Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
27 Ame si si sidzedze su la nya vlowo medona le enu o eye ame si si gɔmesese le la ɖɔa ŋu ɖo, medoa dziku dzodzro o.
One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
28 Wobua bometsila gɔ̃ hã nunyalae nenye be ezi ɖoɖoe, eye wobunɛ sidzelae ne ekpɔ eƒe aɖe dzi nyuie.
Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.
