Lododowo 20
1 Wain nye fewuɖula eye aha muame nye avuwɔla, ame si wokplɔ trae la menya nu o.
It is a luxurious thing, wine, and inebriation is tumultuous. Anyone who is delighted by this will not be wise.
2 Fia ƒe dziku doa vɔvɔ̃ abe dzata ƒe gbetete ene ame si do dziku nɛ la bua eƒe agbe.
Just like the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king. Whoever provokes him sins in his own soul.
3 Bubu wònye na ŋutsu ne eƒo asa na dzre gake bometsila ɖe sia ɖe wɔa dzre kabakaba.
Honor is for the man who separates himself from contentions. But all the foolish meddle in altercations.
4 Kuviatɔ meŋlɔa agble le agbledeɣi o, eya ta edia nu le nuŋeɣi doa kpoe.
Because of the cold, the lazy one was not willing to plough. Therefore, in the summer, he will beg, and it will not be given to him.
5 Ŋutsu ƒe tameɖoɖowo nye tɔ goglo, gake ame si si nugɔmesese su la akui wòavɔ.
Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep waters. But a wise man will draw it out.
6 Ŋutsu geɖewo gblɔna be lɔlɔ̃ matrɔ le yewo si gake ame ka ate ŋu akpɔ ŋutsu nuteƒewɔla?
Many men are called merciful. But who will find a faithful man?
7 Ame dzɔdzɔe nɔa agbe si ŋu kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele o; yayra anɔ viawo dzi emegbe gɔ̃ hã.
The just who walks in his simplicity shall leave behind him blessed sons.
8 Ne fia nɔ anyi ɖe eƒe fiazikpui dzi be yeadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu la, eɖe vɔ̃wo katã ɖa kple eƒe ŋkuwo.
The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his gaze.
9 Ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ bena, “Mewɔ nye dzi dzadzɛe, ŋutinye kɔ eye vɔ̃ mele ŋutinye o?”
Who is able to say: “My heart is clean. I am pure from sin?”
10 Yehowa lé fu nudakpe vovovo eve kple nudzidzenu vovovo eve siaa.
Diverse weights, diverse measures: both are abominable with God.
11 Wonyaa ɖevi gɔ̃ hã to eƒe nuwɔna me, ne ele agbe dzadzɛ eye eƒe nuwɔnawo le eteƒe.
A child may be understood by his interests: whether his works may be clean and upright.
12 Yehowa wɔ to si sea nu kple ŋku si kpɔa nu la siaa.
The hearing ear and the seeing eye: the Lord has made them both.
13 Mègalɔ̃ alɔ̃ tsu dɔdɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, àva zu hiãtɔ, nɔ ŋu ekema àɖu nu wòasusɔ.
Do not love sleep, lest deprivation oppress you. Open your eyes and be satisfied with bread.
14 Nuƒlela gblɔna be, “Menyo o, menyo o,” emegbe la, eyina ɖanɔa adegbe ƒom be yeƒle nu ɖiɖi.
“It is bad, it is bad,” says every buyer; and when he has withdrawn, then he will boast.
15 Sika li, adzagba hã li fũu gake nuyi siwo gblɔa nunyanya la, kpe xɔasi veviwo wonye.
There is gold, and there are a multitude of jewels. But lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.
16 Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe ɖo awɔbae ne eda megbe na nyɔnu gbolowɔla.
Take away the vestments of him who stands up to vouch for a stranger, and take a pledge from him instead of from outsiders.
17 Nuɖuɖu si wokpɔ to amefuflu me la vivina na ŋutsu, gake le nuwuwu la, eƒe nu me yɔna kple kpekui sɔŋ.
The bread of lies is sweet to a man. But afterwards, his mouth will be filled with pebbles.
18 Wɔ ɖoɖo to aɖaŋuxɔxɔ me, ne èle aʋa wɔm la, bia mɔfiame.
Plans are strengthened by counsels. And wars are to be handled by governments.
19 Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla eya ta ƒo asa na ŋutsu nukpoloeƒola.
Do not become involved with him who reveals mysteries, and who walks deceitfully, and who enlarges his lips.
20 Ne ŋutsu do ɖiŋu na fofoa alo dadaa la, woatsi eƒe akaɖi ne ele viviti tsiɖitsiɖi me.
Whoever curses his father and mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the midst of darkness.
21 Domenyinu si wokpɔ to mɔ kpui dzi le gɔmedzedzea me la, yayra manɔ edzi le nuwuwua o.
When an inheritance is obtained hastily in the beginning, in the end it will be without 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 repay evil.” Wait for the Lord, and he will free you.
23 Yehowa lé fu nudakpe ƒomevi vovovowo eye nudanu amebatɔ hã menyoa Yehowa ŋu o.
Diverse weights are an abomination with the Lord. A deceitful balance is not good.
24 Yehowa fiaa afɔɖeɖe ame, ke aleke ame aɖe awɔ ase eya ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo gɔme?
The steps of men are directed by the Lord. But who is the man able to understand his own way?
25 Mɔ wònye na ame ne ekɔ nane ŋu tamemabumabutɔe eye emegbe hafi wòva bu adzɔgbe si wòɖe la ŋuti.
It is ruin for a man to devour what is holy, or, after making vows, to retract them.
26 Fia nyanu gbɔa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòzɔa wo dzi kple luƒotasiaɖam.
A wise king scatters the impious and bends an archway over them.
27 Yehowa ƒe akaɖi kpɔa ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ me eye wòdzroa eƒe ememe ke kpɔ.
The spirit of a man is a lamp to the Lord, which investigates all the secrets of the inner self.
28 Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nana fia nɔa dedinɔnɔ me eye to lɔlɔ̃ me eƒe fiazikpui lia ke.
Mercy and truth guard the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.
29 Ɖekakpuiwo ƒe ŋusẽe nye woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe eye ta ƒowɔ nye ame tsitsiwo ƒe atsyɔ̃.
The joy of youths is their strength. And the dignity of old men is their grey hairs.
30 Kɔ kple abixɔxɔ ɖea vɔ̃ ɖa eye ƒoƒo klɔa ame ƒe ememe ke.
The bruise of a wound, as well as scourges, shall wipe away evils in the more secret places of the inner self.
