< Lododowo 21 >
1 Fia la ƒe dzi le Yehowa ƒe asi me; efiaa mɔe wòtoa afi sia afi si wòlɔ̃ la abe ale si woɖea toƒe na tsi si si tso tsidzɔtsoƒe ene.
As a rush of water, so is the king's heart in God's hand: he turns it wherever he may desire to point out.
2 Ŋutsu ƒe mɔwo katã dzea eŋu gake Yehowae daa dziwo kpɔ.
Every man seems to himself righteous; but the Lord directs the hearts.
3 Nu dzɔdzɔe kple nu si le eteƒe wɔwɔ doa dzidzɔ na Yehowa wu vɔsa.
To do justly and to speak truth, are more pleasing to God than the blood of sacrifices.
4 Ŋku gã kple dzi si me dada le lae nye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe akaɖi, evɔ wòhenye nu vɔ̃.
A high-minded man is stout-hearted in [his] pride; and the lamp of the wicked is sin.
5 Vevidonula ƒe ɖoɖoɖowo hea viɖe vɛ nenema kee dzitsitsi hea ahedada vɛ.
6 Kesinɔnu si wotsɔ alakpaɖe kpɔe la nu va yina kaba abe ƒuƒu ene eye wònye mɔ si ŋu aɖi vɔ̃ɖi le.
He that gathers treasures with a lying tongue pursues vanity [on] to the snares of death.
7 Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ ahe wo adzoe elabena wogbe be yewomawɔ nu nyui o.
Destruction shall lodge with the ungodly; for they refuse to do justly.
8 Fɔɖila ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ gake fɔmaɖila ƒe nuwɔwɔ le dzɔdzɔe.
To the froward God sends froward ways; for his works are pure and right.
9 Enyo be woanɔ dzogoe dzi le xɔta wu be woanɔ xɔ ɖeka me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla.
[It is] better to dwell in a corner on the house-top, than in plastered [rooms] with unrighteousness, and in an open house.
10 Nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ dzroa ame vɔ̃ɖi vevie, mekpɔa nublanui na ehavi o.
The soul of the ungodly shall not be pitied by any man.
11 Ne wohe to na fewuɖula la, bometsilawo dzea nunya; ne wofia nu nunyala la, sidzedze sua esi.
When an intemperate man is punished the simple becomes wiser: and a wise man understanding will receive knowledge.
12 Dzɔdzɔetɔ la ɖea ŋku ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe aƒe ŋu, eye wòhea gbegblẽ vaa ame vɔ̃ɖi la dzi.
A righteous man understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness.
13 Ne ame aɖe do toku ame dahe ƒe ɣlidodo la, ne eya hã do ɣli la, ame aɖeke masee nɛ o.
He that stops his ears from hearing the poor, himself also shall cry, and there shall be none to hear [him].
14 Nunana si wona le adzame la faa dziku nu eye zãnu si woɣla ɖe awu ʋlaya te hafi tsɔ vɛ la léa avu dziku helĩhelĩ.
A secret gift calms anger: but he that forbears to give stirs up strong wrath.
15 Afia nyui tsotso hea dzidzɔ vɛ na ame dzɔdzɔe, ke ehea ŋɔdzi vɛ na vɔ̃ wɔlawo.
[It is] the joy of the righteous to do judgement: but a holy [man] is abominable with evil-doers.
16 Ŋutsu si tra tso gɔmesese ƒe mɔ dzi la va dzudzɔna le ame kukuwo ƒe ha me.
A man that wanders out of the way of righteousness, shall rest in the congregation of giants.
17 Ame si lɔ̃a agbeɖuɖu la azu hiãtɔ eye ame si lɔ̃a wain kple ami la makpɔ hotsui o.
A poor man loves mirth, loving wine and oil in abundance;
18 Ame vɔ̃ɖi zua avulénu ɖe ame dzɔdzɔe teƒe eye nenema ke nuteƒemawɔla ɖea nuteƒewɔla nu.
and a transgressor is the abomination of a righteous man.
19 Enyo be nànɔ dzogbe wu be nànɔ anyi kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla kple dɔmedzoedola.
[It is] better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and talkative and passionate woman.
20 Nuɖuɖu vivi kple ami bɔ ɖe nunyala ƒe aƒe me fũu, gake bometsila ɖua nu sia nu si le esi.
A desirable treasure will rest on the mouth of the wise; but foolish men will swallow it up.
21 Ame si tia dzɔdzɔenyenye kple lɔlɔ̃ la, tia agbe, dzidzedze kple bubu.
The way of righteousness and mercy will find life and glory.
22 Nunyala dze kalẽtɔ ƒe du dzi eye wòmu mɔ sesẽ si ŋu wole dzi ɖom ɖo la ƒu anyi.
A wise man assaults strong cities, and demolishes the fortress in which the ungodly trusted.
23 Ame si kpɔa eƒe nu kple eƒe aɖe dzi la, ɖea eɖokui tso dzɔgbevɔ̃e me.
He that keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from trouble.
24 Ŋutsu dadala, ɖokuiŋudzela, si wɔa nu tovo kple dada la, eyae woyɔna be, “Fewuɖula.”
A bold and self-willed and insolent [man] is called a pest: and he that remembers injuries is a transgressor.
25 Kuviatɔ ƒe nudzodzro ahe ku vɛ nɛ, elabena eƒe asiwo gbe be yewomawɔ dɔ o.
Desires kill the sluggard; for his hands do not choose to do anything.
26 Ele nu dzrom ŋkeke blibo la, ke ame dzɔdzɔe la nana faa, eye metea ame o.
An ungodly man entertains evil desires all the day: but the righteous is unsparingly merciful and compassionate.
27 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe vɔsa nye ŋunyɔnu, kaka wòahanye be etsɔe vɛ kple susu vɔ̃ɖi.
The sacrifices of the ungodly are abomination to the Lord, for they offer them wickedly.
28 Aʋatsoɖasefo atsrɔ̃ eye ame si ɖoa toe la atsrɔ̃ gbidigbidi.
A false witness shall perish; but an obedient man will speak cautiously.
29 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa mo kplala ɖi, ke dzɔdzɔetɔ léa ŋku ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu.
An ungodly man impudently withstands with his face; but the upright man himself understands his ways.
30 Nunya, gɔmesese kple ɖoɖo aɖeke meli si adze edzi o, ne etsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa ŋu.
There is no wisdom, there is no courage, there is no counsel against the ungodly.
31 Woblaa akpa na sɔ ɖe aʋakpegbe ŋu, gake Yehowa ƒe asimee dziɖuɖu ya le.
A horse is prepared for the day of battle; but help is of the Lord.