Lododowo 2

1 Vinye, ne èxɔ nye nyawo eye nèdzra nye sededewo ɖo ɖe mewò,

My son, if you would accept my words, and conceal my commandments within you,

2 ne ètrɔ to ɖe nunya ŋu hetsɔ wò dzi na gɔmesese,

so that your ears may listen to wisdom, then bend your heart in order to know prudence.

3 ne èyɔ sidzedze eye nèdo ɣli na gɔmesese,

For if you would call upon wisdom and bend your heart to prudence,

4 ne èdii abe klosalo alo kesinɔnu si woɣla ene la,

if you will seek her like money, and dig for her as if for treasure,

5 ekema àse Yehowavɔvɔ̃ gɔme eye àke ɖe Mawu nyanya ŋu

then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will discover the knowledge of God.

6 elabena Yehowae naa nunya, eye sidzedze kple gɔmesese doa go tso eƒe nu me.

For the Lord bestows wisdom, and out of his mouth, prudence and knowledge.

7 Eɖo dziɖuɖu ɖi na nuteƒewɔlawo eye wònye akpoxɔnu na ame siwo ƒe zɔzɔme ŋu fɔɖiɖi mele o,

He will preserve the salvation of the righteous, and he will protect those who walk in simplicity:

8 elabena edzɔa ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe toƒewo ŋu eye wòkpɔa eƒe nuteƒewɔlawo ƒe mɔwo ta.

serving the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of sanctity.

9 Ekema àse nu si nyo, le dzɔdzɔe eye wòdze la gɔme, ɛ̃, àse mɔ nyui ɖe sia ɖe gɔme,

Then you shall understand justice and judgment, and equity, and every good path.

10 elabena nunya age ɖe wò dzi me, eye sidzedze ado dzidzɔ na wò luʋɔ.

If wisdom is to enter into your heart, and if knowledge is to become pleasing to your soul,

11 Tamebubu nyui akpɔ tawò, eye gɔmesese adzɔ ŋuwò.

then counsel must guard you, and prudence must serve you,

12 Nunya aɖe wò tso ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔwo dzi, tso nya tovo gblɔlawo ƒe asi me,

so that you may be rescued from the evil way, and from the man who speaks perversities,

13 ame siwo gblea mɔ dzɔdzɔetɔwo ɖi hezɔna le mɔ doblukɔwo dzi,

from those who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways,

14 ame siwo nu gbegblẽ wɔwɔ doa dzidzɔ na, eye wotsoa aseye le nu tovo ƒe vɔ̃ɖinyenye ŋu,

who rejoice when they have done evil, and who exult in the most wicked things.

15 ame siwo ƒe mɔwo glɔ̃ eye wotrana le woƒe mɔwo dzi.

Their ways are perverse, and their steps are infamous.

16 Nunya aɖe wò le nyɔnu ahasitɔ hã ƒe asi me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu si da afɔ la ƒe amenubeble me

So may you be rescued from the foreign woman, and from the outsider, who softens her speech,

17 ame si gblẽ eƒe ɖetugbimesrɔ̃ ɖi eye mewɔ ɖe nu si wòbla kplii le Mawu ŋkume la dzi o

and who leaves behind the Guide of her youth,

18 elabena eƒe aƒe ɖo ta ku me eye eƒe mɔwo ɖo ta ame siwo le tsiẽƒe la ƒe gbɔgbɔwo gbɔ.

and who has forgotten the covenant of her God. For her household inclines toward death, and her paths toward Hell. (questioned)

19 Ame siwo katã yia egbɔ la megatrɔna gbɔna loo alo gena ɖe agbemɔ la dzi o.

All those who enter to her will not return again, nor will they take hold of the paths of life.

20 Ale àto ame nyuiwo ƒe mɔwo dzi eye àlé ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe mɔwo ɖe asi.

So may you walk in the good way, and keep to the difficult paths of the just.

21 Ame dzɔdzɔewo anɔ anyigba dzi eye ame maɖifɔwo asusɔ ɖe edzi

For those who are upright shall live upon the earth, and the simple shall continue upon it.

22 gake woatsrɔ̃ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ɖa le anyigba dzi eye woaho nuteƒemawɔlawo ɖa le edzi.

Yet truly, the impious shall perish from the earth, and those who act unjustly shall be taken away from it.