Lododowo 20
1 Wain nye fewuɖula eye aha muame nye avuwɔla, ame si wokplɔ trae la menya nu o.
Wine turns you into a mocker, alcohol makes you aggressive; you're stupid to be deceived by drink.
2 Fia ƒe dziku doa vɔvɔ̃ abe dzata ƒe gbetete ene ame si do dziku nɛ la bua eƒe agbe.
When a king gets terribly angry, he sounds like a roaring lion; anyone who makes him furious is liable to be killed.
3 Bubu wònye na ŋutsu ne eƒo asa na dzre gake bometsila ɖe sia ɖe wɔa dzre kabakaba.
Avoiding conflict is the proper thing to do, but stupid people are quick to argue.
4 Kuviatɔ meŋlɔa agble le agbledeɣi o, eya ta edia nu le nuŋeɣi doa kpoe.
Slackers don't sow when they should, so when harvest comes they don't have anything.
5 Ŋutsu ƒe tameɖoɖowo nye tɔ goglo, gake ame si si nugɔmesese su la akui wòavɔ.
Discovering what someone is planning in their mind is like looking at deep water, but a person who has understanding will find out.
6 Ŋutsu geɖewo gblɔna be lɔlɔ̃ matrɔ le yewo si gake ame ka ate ŋu akpɔ ŋutsu nuteƒewɔla?
Many people tell you they're loyal, but can you find someone really trustworthy?
7 Ame dzɔdzɔe nɔa agbe si ŋu kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele o; yayra anɔ viawo dzi emegbe gɔ̃ hã.
Good people live honestly; how happy are their children if they follow them.
8 Ne fia nɔ anyi ɖe eƒe fiazikpui dzi be yeadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu la, eɖe vɔ̃wo katã ɖa kple eƒe ŋkuwo.
When a king sits in judgment he recognizes all that isn't right.
9 Ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ bena, “Mewɔ nye dzi dzadzɛe, ŋutinye kɔ eye vɔ̃ mele ŋutinye o?”
Who can claim, “I've made sure my conscience is clean; I've purified myself from sin”?
10 Yehowa lé fu nudakpe vovovo eve kple nudzidzenu vovovo eve siaa.
The Lord hates both dishonest weights and dishonest measures.
11 Wonyaa ɖevi gɔ̃ hã to eƒe nuwɔna me, ne ele agbe dzadzɛ eye eƒe nuwɔnawo le eteƒe.
Even children reveal what they're like by what they do, whether their actions are good and right.
12 Yehowa wɔ to si sea nu kple ŋku si kpɔa nu la siaa.
The Lord made our ears to hear and our eyes to see.
13 Mègalɔ̃ alɔ̃ tsu dɔdɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, àva zu hiãtɔ, nɔ ŋu ekema àɖu nu wòasusɔ.
If you love sleeping you'll become poor. Wake up and get busy, and you'll have plenty to eat.
14 Nuƒlela gblɔna be, “Menyo o, menyo o,” emegbe la, eyina ɖanɔa adegbe ƒom be yeƒle nu ɖiɖi.
“It's really rubbish,” says the one buying, but afterwards goes and boasts to others about making a good deal.
15 Sika li, adzagba hã li fũu gake nuyi siwo gblɔa nunyanya la, kpe xɔasi veviwo wonye.
There's gold and plenty of expensive gemstones, but talking sense is a more valuable jewel.
16 Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe ɖo awɔbae ne eda megbe na nyɔnu gbolowɔla.
If someone guarantees a stranger's debt with their cloak, be sure to take it! Make sure you have whatever is pledged to foreigners!
17 Nuɖuɖu si wokpɔ to amefuflu me la vivina na ŋutsu, gake le nuwuwu la, eƒe nu me yɔna kple kpekui sɔŋ.
Food you get by cheating may taste sweet, but afterwards it will be like a mouthful of gravel.
18 Wɔ ɖoɖo to aɖaŋuxɔxɔ me, ne èle aʋa wɔm la, bia mɔfiame.
With sound advice, plans are successful; if you're going to war, make sure you have good guidance.
19 Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla eya ta ƒo asa na ŋutsu nukpoloeƒola.
A gossip goes around revealing secrets; stay away from people who talk a lot.
20 Ne ŋutsu do ɖiŋu na fofoa alo dadaa la, woatsi eƒe akaɖi ne ele viviti tsiɖitsiɖi me.
Anyone who curses their father or mother will have their light put out and end in utter darkness.
21 Domenyinu si wokpɔ to mɔ kpui dzi le gɔmedzedzea me la, yayra manɔ edzi le nuwuwua o.
Wealth gained too soon won't do you any good in the end.
22 Mègagblɔ be, “Maɖo vɔ̃ si nèwɔ ɖe ŋunye la teƒe na wò” o! Kpɔ Yehowa ƒe asinu ekema aɖe wò.
Don't say, “I'll get you back for doing me wrong.” Leave it to the Lord, and he'll help you.
23 Yehowa lé fu nudakpe ƒomevi vovovowo eye nudanu amebatɔ hã menyoa Yehowa ŋu o.
The Lord hates incorrect weights; using dishonest scales is wrong.
24 Yehowa fiaa afɔɖeɖe ame, ke aleke ame aɖe awɔ ase eya ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo gɔme?
The Lord shows us the way to go, so how would we decide for ourselves?
25 Mɔ wònye na ame ne ekɔ nane ŋu tamemabumabutɔe eye emegbe hafi wòva bu adzɔgbe si wòɖe la ŋuti.
It's a mistake to make a promise to God and then have second thoughts about it later.
26 Fia nyanu gbɔa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòzɔa wo dzi kple luƒotasiaɖam.
A wise king separates out the wicked by winnowing and punishes them by threshing.
27 Yehowa ƒe akaɖi kpɔa ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ me eye wòdzroa eƒe ememe ke kpɔ.
The Lord's light shines on the conscience, revealing our deepest thoughts.
28 Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nana fia nɔa dedinɔnɔ me eye to lɔlɔ̃ me eƒe fiazikpui lia ke.
Trustworthy love and faithfulness keep a king safe; trustworthy love supports his rule.
29 Ɖekakpuiwo ƒe ŋusẽe nye woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe eye ta ƒowɔ nye ame tsitsiwo ƒe atsyɔ̃.
Young men value their strength, but the old value even more the wisdom that comes with gray hair.
30 Kɔ kple abixɔxɔ ɖea vɔ̃ ɖa eye ƒoƒo klɔa ame ƒe ememe ke.
Wounds and blows clean away what's evil; beatings clean what's deep down inside.
