Lododowo 20
1 Wain nye fewuɖula eye aha muame nye avuwɔla, ame si wokplɔ trae la menya nu o.
Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.
2 Fia ƒe dziku doa vɔvɔ̃ abe dzata ƒe gbetete ene ame si do dziku nɛ la bua eƒe agbe.
The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.
3 Bubu wònye na ŋutsu ne eƒo asa na dzre gake bometsila ɖe sia ɖe wɔa dzre kabakaba.
It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
4 Kuviatɔ meŋlɔa agble le agbledeɣi o, eya ta edia nu le nuŋeɣi doa kpoe.
The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
5 Ŋutsu ƒe tameɖoɖowo nye tɔ goglo, gake ame si si nugɔmesese su la akui wòavɔ.
The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
6 Ŋutsu geɖewo gblɔna be lɔlɔ̃ matrɔ le yewo si gake ame ka ate ŋu akpɔ ŋutsu nuteƒewɔla?
Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
7 Ame dzɔdzɔe nɔa agbe si ŋu kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele o; yayra anɔ viawo dzi emegbe gɔ̃ hã.
An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!
8 Ne fia nɔ anyi ɖe eƒe fiazikpui dzi be yeadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu la, eɖe vɔ̃wo katã ɖa kple eƒe ŋkuwo.
A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.
9 Ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ bena, “Mewɔ nye dzi dzadzɛe, ŋutinye kɔ eye vɔ̃ mele ŋutinye o?”
Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
10 Yehowa lé fu nudakpe vovovo eve kple nudzidzenu vovovo eve siaa.
Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.
11 Wonyaa ɖevi gɔ̃ hã to eƒe nuwɔna me, ne ele agbe dzadzɛ eye eƒe nuwɔnawo le eteƒe.
Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.
12 Yehowa wɔ to si sea nu kple ŋku si kpɔa nu la siaa.
The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.
13 Mègalɔ̃ alɔ̃ tsu dɔdɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, àva zu hiãtɔ, nɔ ŋu ekema àɖu nu wòasusɔ.
Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.
14 Nuƒlela gblɔna be, “Menyo o, menyo o,” emegbe la, eyina ɖanɔa adegbe ƒom be yeƒle nu ɖiɖi.
A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.
15 Sika li, adzagba hã li fũu gake nuyi siwo gblɔa nunyanya la, kpe xɔasi veviwo wonye.
There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.
16 Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe ɖo awɔbae ne eda megbe na nyɔnu gbolowɔla.
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
17 Nuɖuɖu si wokpɔ to amefuflu me la vivina na ŋutsu, gake le nuwuwu la, eƒe nu me yɔna kple kpekui sɔŋ.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.
18 Wɔ ɖoɖo to aɖaŋuxɔxɔ me, ne èle aʋa wɔm la, bia mɔfiame.
Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.
19 Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla eya ta ƒo asa na ŋutsu nukpoloeƒola.
He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.
20 Ne ŋutsu do ɖiŋu na fofoa alo dadaa la, woatsi eƒe akaɖi ne ele viviti tsiɖitsiɖi me.
If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.
21 Domenyinu si wokpɔ to mɔ kpui dzi le gɔmedzedzea me la, yayra manɔ edzi le nuwuwua o.
A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.
22 Mègagblɔ be, “Maɖo vɔ̃ si nèwɔ ɖe ŋunye la teƒe na wò” o! Kpɔ Yehowa ƒe asinu ekema aɖe wò.
Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.
23 Yehowa lé fu nudakpe ƒomevi vovovowo eye nudanu amebatɔ hã menyoa Yehowa ŋu o.
Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
24 Yehowa fiaa afɔɖeɖe ame, ke aleke ame aɖe awɔ ase eya ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo gɔme?
A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?
25 Mɔ wònye na ame ne ekɔ nane ŋu tamemabumabutɔe eye emegbe hafi wòva bu adzɔgbe si wòɖe la ŋuti.
It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.
26 Fia nyanu gbɔa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòzɔa wo dzi kple luƒotasiaɖam.
A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.
27 Yehowa ƒe akaɖi kpɔa ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ me eye wòdzroa eƒe ememe ke kpɔ.
The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.
28 Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nana fia nɔa dedinɔnɔ me eye to lɔlɔ̃ me eƒe fiazikpui lia ke.
Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.
29 Ɖekakpuiwo ƒe ŋusẽe nye woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe eye ta ƒowɔ nye ame tsitsiwo ƒe atsyɔ̃.
The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.
30 Kɔ kple abixɔxɔ ɖea vɔ̃ ɖa eye ƒoƒo klɔa ame ƒe ememe ke.
By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.
