Lododowo 2
1 Vinye, ne èxɔ nye nyawo eye nèdzra nye sededewo ɖo ɖe mewò,
[My] son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with thee;
2 ne ètrɔ to ɖe nunya ŋu hetsɔ wò dzi na gɔmesese,
thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.
3 ne èyɔ sidzedze eye nèdo ɣli na gɔmesese,
For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding;
4 ne èdii abe klosalo alo kesinɔnu si woɣla ene la,
and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures;
5 ekema àse Yehowavɔvɔ̃ gɔme eye àke ɖe Mawu nyanya ŋu
then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
6 elabena Yehowae naa nunya, eye sidzedze kple gɔmesese doa go tso eƒe nu me.
For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence [come] knowledge and understanding,
7 Eɖo dziɖuɖu ɖi na nuteƒewɔlawo eye wònye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo ƒe zɔzɔme ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o,
and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way;
8 elabena edzɔa ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe toƒewo ŋu eye wòkpɔa eƒe nuteƒewɔlawo ƒe mɔwo ta.
that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear him.
9 Ekema àse nu si nyo, le dzɔdzɔe eye wòdze la gɔme, ɛ̃, àse mɔ nyui ɖe sia ɖe gɔme,
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment; and shalt direct all thy course aright.
10 elabena nunya age ɖe wò dzi me, eye sidzedze ado dzidzɔ na wò luʋɔ.
For if wisdom shall come into thine understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to thy soul,
11 Tamebubu nyui akpɔ tawò, eye gɔmesese adzɔ ŋuwò.
good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee;
12 Nunya aɖe wò tso ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔwo dzi, tso nya tovo gblɔlawo ƒe asi me,
to deliver thee from the evil way, and from the man that speaks nothing faithfully.
13 ame siwo gblea mɔ dzɔdzɔetɔwo ɖi hezɔna le mɔ doblukɔwo dzi,
Alas [for those] who forsake right paths, to walk in ways of darkness;
14 ame siwo nu gbegblẽ wɔwɔ doa dzidzɔ na, eye wotsoa aseye le nu tovo ƒe vɔ̃ɖinyenye ŋu,
who rejoice in evils, and delight in wicked perverseness;
15 ame siwo ƒe mɔwo glɔ̃ eye wotrana le woƒe mɔwo dzi.
whose paths are crooked, and their courses winding;
16 Nunya aɖe wò le nyɔnu ahasitɔ hã ƒe asi me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu si da afɔ la ƒe amenubeble me
to remove thee far from the straight way, and to estrange thee from a righteous purpose. [My] son, let not evil counsel overtake thee,
17 ame si gblẽ eƒe ɖetugbimesrɔ̃ ɖi eye mewɔ ɖe nu si wòbla kplii le Mawu ŋkume la dzi o
[of her] who has forsaken the instruction of her youth, and forgotten the covenant of God.
18 elabena eƒe aƒe ɖo ta ku me eye eƒe mɔwo ɖo ta ame siwo le tsiẽƒe la ƒe gbɔgbɔwo gbɔ.
For she has fixed her house near death, and [guided] her wheels near Hades with the giants.
19 Ame siwo katã yia egbɔ la megatrɔna gbɔna loo alo gena ɖe agbemɔ la dzi o.
None that go by her shall return, neither shall they take hold of right paths, for they are not apprehended of the years of life.
20 Ale àto ame nyuiwo ƒe mɔwo dzi eye àlé ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe mɔwo ɖe asi.
For had they gone in good paths, they would have found the paths of righteousness easy.
21 Ame dzɔdzɔewo anɔ anyigba dzi eye ame maɖifɔwo asusɔ ɖe edzi
For the upright shall dwell in the earth, and the holy shall be left behind in it.
22 gake woatsrɔ̃ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ɖa le anyigba dzi eye woaho nuteƒemawɔlawo ɖa le edzi.
The paths of the ungodly shall perish out of the earth, and transgressors shall be driven away from it.
