Lododowo 20
1 Wain nye fewuɖula eye aha muame nye avuwɔla, ame si wokplɔ trae la menya nu o.
Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whoever is deceived by it is not wise.
2 Fia ƒe dziku doa vɔvɔ̃ abe dzata ƒe gbetete ene ame si do dziku nɛ la bua eƒe agbe.
The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoever] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.
3 Bubu wònye na ŋutsu ne eƒo asa na dzre gake bometsila ɖe sia ɖe wɔa dzre kabakaba.
[It is] an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 Kuviatɔ meŋlɔa agble le agbledeɣi o, eya ta edia nu le nuŋeɣi doa kpoe.
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
5 Ŋutsu ƒe tameɖoɖowo nye tɔ goglo, gake ame si si nugɔmesese su la akui wòavɔ.
Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Ŋutsu geɖewo gblɔna be lɔlɔ̃ matrɔ le yewo si gake ame ka ate ŋu akpɔ ŋutsu nuteƒewɔla?
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 Ame dzɔdzɔe nɔa agbe si ŋu kpɔtsɔtsɔ mele o; yayra anɔ viawo dzi emegbe gɔ̃ hã.
The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.
8 Ne fia nɔ anyi ɖe eƒe fiazikpui dzi be yeadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu la, eɖe vɔ̃wo katã ɖa kple eƒe ŋkuwo.
A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ bena, “Mewɔ nye dzi dzadzɛe, ŋutinye kɔ eye vɔ̃ mele ŋutinye o?”
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 Yehowa lé fu nudakpe vovovo eve kple nudzidzenu vovovo eve siaa.
Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.
11 Wonyaa ɖevi gɔ̃ hã to eƒe nuwɔna me, ne ele agbe dzadzɛ eye eƒe nuwɔnawo le eteƒe.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [is] pure, and whether [it is] right.
12 Yehowa wɔ to si sea nu kple ŋku si kpɔa nu la siaa.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13 Mègalɔ̃ alɔ̃ tsu dɔdɔ o, ne menye nenema o la, àva zu hiãtɔ, nɔ ŋu ekema àɖu nu wòasusɔ.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thy eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 Nuƒlela gblɔna be, “Menyo o, menyo o,” emegbe la, eyina ɖanɔa adegbe ƒom be yeƒle nu ɖiɖi.
[It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone, then he boasteth.
15 Sika li, adzagba hã li fũu gake nuyi siwo gblɔa nunyanya la, kpe xɔasi veviwo wonye.
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.
16 Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe ɖo awɔbae ne eda megbe na nyɔnu gbolowɔla.
Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
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 afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Wɔ ɖoɖo to aɖaŋuxɔxɔ me, ne èle aʋa wɔm la, bia mɔfiame.
[Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 Amenyagblɔla ʋua go nya ɣaɣla eya ta ƒo asa na ŋutsu nukpoloeƒola.
He that goeth about [as] a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Ne ŋutsu do ɖiŋu na fofoa alo dadaa la, woatsi eƒe akaɖi ne ele viviti tsiɖitsiɖi me.
Whoever curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 Domenyinu si wokpɔ to mɔ kpui dzi le gɔmedzedzea me la, yayra manɔ edzi le nuwuwua o.
An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end of it shall not be blessed.
22 Mègagblɔ be, “Maɖo vɔ̃ si nèwɔ ɖe ŋunye la teƒe na wò” o! Kpɔ Yehowa ƒe asinu ekema aɖe wò.
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23 Yehowa lé fu nudakpe ƒomevi vovovowo eye nudanu amebatɔ hã menyoa Yehowa ŋu o.
Divers weights [are] an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.
24 Yehowa fiaa afɔɖeɖe ame, ke aleke ame aɖe awɔ ase eya ŋutɔ ƒe mɔwo gɔme?
Man's goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then 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] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
26 Fia nyanu gbɔa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo eye wòzɔa wo dzi kple luƒotasiaɖam.
A wise king scatterreth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 Yehowa ƒe akaɖi kpɔa ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ me eye wòdzroa eƒe ememe ke kpɔ.
The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ nana fia nɔa dedinɔnɔ me eye to lɔlɔ̃ me eƒe fiazikpui lia ke.
Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upheld by mercy.
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 beauty of old men [is] the gray head.
30 Kɔ kple abixɔxɔ ɖea vɔ̃ ɖa eye ƒoƒo klɔa ame ƒe ememe ke.
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.
