Lododowo 19
1 Anyo be nànye ame dahe si ƒe zɔzɔme ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o, wu bometsila si ƒe nuyiwo gblɔa nya tovo.
Better [is] the poor that walketh in his integrity, than [he that is] perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2 Menyo be dzo nanɔ mewò ɖe nuwo wɔwɔ ŋu gɔmesesemanɔmee alo atsi dzi ahabu mɔ o.
Also, [that] the soul [be] without knowledge, [it is] not good; and he that hasteth with [his] feet sinneth.
3 Ame ŋutɔ ƒe bometsitsie gblẽa eƒe agbe dome, evɔ eƒe dzi bina ɖe Yehowa ŋu.
The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.
4 Kesinɔnunɔamesi dzea xɔlɔ̃ geɖe na ame, gake ame dahe ƒe xɔlɔ̃wo kakana le eŋu.
Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbor.
5 Womagbe tohehe na aʋatsoɖasefo o eye ame si trɔa alakpa kɔna ɖi bababa la, madzo le ablɔɖe me o.
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and [he that] speaketh lies shall not escape.
6 Ame geɖewo wɔa nu be woadze fia ŋu, eye ame si naa nu ame faa la, ame sia ame dzea xɔ̃e.
Many will entreat the favor of the prince: and every man [is] a friend to him that giveth gifts.
7 Ame dahe ƒe ƒometɔwo katã ɖea kɔ ɖa le eŋu, aleke exɔlɔ̃wo magbee geɖe wu o! Togbɔ be etia wo yome nɔa kuku ɖem na wo hã la, womedea nu eme nɛ o.
All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth [them with] words, [yet] they [are] wanting [to him].
8 Ame si, si nunya su la lɔ̃a eya ŋutɔ ƒe luʋɔ eye ame si melɔ̃a nu le gɔmesese gbɔ o la, nu dzea edzi nɛ.
He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.
9 Womagbe tohehe na aʋatsoɖasefo o eye ame si trɔa alakpa kɔna ɖi bababa la atsrɔ̃.
A false witness shall not be unpunished, and [he that] speaketh lies shall perish.
10 Agbe vivi nɔnɔ medze bometsila ʋuu keke wòahanye be kluvi ɖu aƒetɔ ɖe dumegãwo dzi o.
Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
11 Ame ƒe nunya nana wògbɔa dzi ɖi eye ŋutikɔkɔe wònye nɛ ne eŋe aɖaba ƒu dzidada dzi.
The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and [it is] his glory to pass over a transgression.
12 Fia ƒe dziku le abe dzata ƒe gbetete ene, ke eƒe amenuveve le abe zãmu le gbedzi ene.
The king's wrath [is] as the roaring of a lion; but his favor [is] as dew upon the grass.
13 Viŋutsu tsibome nye fofoa ƒe gbegblẽ eye srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla le abe tsitrɔnu si le ɖuɖum ɖaa ene.
A foolish son [is] the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife [are] a continual dropping.
14 Aƒewo kple kesinɔnuwo nye domenyinu tso dzilawo gbɔ, ke srɔ̃nyɔnu nyanu ya, Yehowa gbɔe wòtsona.
House and riches [are] the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife [is] from the LORD.
15 Kuvia nana ame dɔa alɔ̃ yia eme ʋĩi eye dɔ wua ƒomewɔla.
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
16 Ame si wɔna ɖe sedede dzi la dzɔa eƒe agbe ŋu, ke ame si metsɔ ɖeke le eƒe mɔwo ŋu o la aku.
He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; [but] he that despiseth his ways shall die.
17 Ame si nyo dɔ me na hiãtɔ la, do nugbana na Yehowa, aɖo nu si wòwɔ la teƒe nɛ.
He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth to the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
18 He to na viwò ŋutsuvi elabena eya mee mɔkpɔkpɔ le; ke mègakpe ɖe ame siwo le eƒe ku dim la ŋuti o.
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
19 Ame si dzi kuna helĩhelĩ la, axe eŋutife; ne èɖee le eme la, agawɔe ake.
A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver [him], yet thou must do it again.
20 Ɖo to aɖaŋuɖoɖo, nàxɔ amehehe eye le nuwuwua la, àdze nunya.
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
21 Nu geɖewo ame ɖo ɖe eƒe dzi me, gake Yehowa ƒe ɖoɖo koe vaa eme.
[There are] many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
22 Nu si ame dina lae nye lɔlɔ̃ si meʋãna o; enyo be nànye ame dahe wu alakpatɔ.
The desire of a man [is] his kindness: and a poor man [is] better than a liar.
23 Yehowavɔvɔ̃ kplɔa ame yia agbe gbɔe. Ekema ànɔ anyi aɖe dzi ɖi eye kuxi aɖeke maƒo go wò o.
The fear of the LORD [tendeth] to life: and [he that hath it] shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
24 Ne kuviatɔ de asi nuɖugba me la, maɖee ɖa atsɔ yi nu gbɔe teti gɔ̃ hã o!
A slothful [man] hideth his hand in [his] bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25 Ƒo fewuɖula kple ati, ekema gegemewo adze nunya; ka mo na ame si si sidzedze le, ekema gɔmesese asu esi.
Smite a scorner and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, [and] he will understand knowledge.
26 Ame si daa adzo fofoa, nyaa dada doa goe lae nye viŋutsu si hea ŋukpe kple vlododo vɛ.
He that wasteth [his] father, [and] chaseth away [his] mother, [is] a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
27 Vinye, ne èdzudzɔ amehenyawo sese la, ekema àtra tso gɔmesese ƒe nyawo gbɔ.
Cease, my son, to hear the instruction [that causeth] to err from the words of knowledge.
28 Aʋatsoɖasefo ɖua fewu le afia nyui tsotso ŋu eye ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe nu miaa nu vɔ̃ɖi.
An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
29 Woɖo tohehe ɖi na fewuɖulawo eye woɖo ƒoƒo ɖi na bometsilawo ƒe dzime.
Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.
