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.
Just as with the dividing of the waters, so also is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord. He shall bend it whichever way he wills.
2 Ŋutsu ƒe mɔwo katã dzea eŋu gake Yehowae daa dziwo kpɔ.
Every way of a man seems right to himself. But the Lord weighs hearts.
3 Nu dzɔdzɔe kple nu si le eteƒe wɔwɔ doa dzidzɔ na Yehowa wu vɔsa.
To do mercy and judgment is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifices.
4 Ŋku gã kple dzi si me dada le lae nye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe akaɖi, evɔ wòhenye nu vɔ̃.
To lift up the eyes is to enlarge the heart. The lamp of the impious is sin.
5 Vevidonula ƒe ɖoɖoɖowo hea viɖe vɛ nenema kee dzitsitsi hea ahedada vɛ.
The intentions of the robust continually bring forth abundance. But all the lazy are continually in need.
6 Kesinɔnu si wotsɔ alakpaɖe kpɔe la nu va yina kaba abe ƒuƒu ene eye wònye mɔ si ŋu aɖi vɔ̃ɖi le.
Whoever gathers treasures by a lying tongue is vain and heartless. And he will stumble into the snares of death.
7 Ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ ahe wo adzoe elabena wogbe be yewomawɔ nu nyui o.
The robberies of the impious will drag them down, because they were not willing to do judgment.
8 Fɔɖila ƒe mɔ le gɔdɔ̃gɔdɔ̃ gake fɔmaɖila ƒe nuwɔwɔ le dzɔdzɔe.
The perverse way of a man is foreign. But whoever is pure: his work is upright.
9 Enyo be woanɔ dzogoe dzi le xɔta wu be woanɔ xɔ ɖeka me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla.
It is better to sit in a corner of the attic, than with a contentious woman and in a shared house.
10 Nu vɔ̃ɖi wɔwɔ dzroa ame vɔ̃ɖi vevie, mekpɔa nublanui na ehavi o.
The soul of the impious desires evil; he will not take pity on his neighbor.
11 Ne wohe to na fewuɖula la, bometsilawo dzea nunya; ne wofia nu nunyala la, sidzedze sua esi.
When the pestilent is punished, a little one will become wiser. And if he pursues what is wise, he will receive knowledge.
12 Dzɔdzɔetɔ la ɖea ŋku ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe aƒe ŋu, eye wòhea gbegblẽ vaa ame vɔ̃ɖi la dzi.
The just thinks carefully about the house of the impious, so that he may draw the impious away from evil.
13 Ne ame aɖe do toku ame dahe ƒe ɣlidodo la, ne eya hã do ɣli la, ame aɖeke masee nɛ o.
Whoever blocks his ears to the outcry of the poor shall also cry out himself, and he will not be heeded.
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 surprise gift extinguishes anger. And a gift concealed in the bosom extinguishes the greatest indignation.
15 Afia nyui tsotso hea dzidzɔ vɛ na ame dzɔdzɔe, ke ehea ŋɔdzi vɛ na vɔ̃ wɔlawo.
It is gladness for the just to do judgment; and it is dread for those who work iniquity.
16 Ŋutsu si tra tso gɔmesese ƒe mɔ dzi la va dzudzɔna le ame kukuwo ƒe ha me.
A man who wanders astray from the way of doctrine will linger in the company of the giants.
17 Ame si lɔ̃a agbeɖuɖu la azu hiãtɔ eye ame si lɔ̃a wain kple ami la makpɔ hotsui o.
Whoever loves a feast will be in deprivation. Whoever loves wine and fatness will not be enriched.
18 Ame vɔ̃ɖi zua avulénu ɖe ame dzɔdzɔe teƒe eye nenema ke nuteƒemawɔla ɖea nuteƒewɔla nu.
The impious is given over instead of the just, and the iniquitous is given over in place of the upright.
19 Enyo be nànɔ dzogbe wu be nànɔ anyi kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla kple dɔmedzoedola.
It is better to live in a deserted land, than with a quarrelsome and emotional woman.
20 Nuɖuɖu vivi kple ami bɔ ɖe nunyala ƒe aƒe me fũu, gake bometsila ɖua nu sia nu si le esi.
There is desirable treasure, as well as oil, in the habitations of the just. And the imprudent man will waste it.
21 Ame si tia dzɔdzɔenyenye kple lɔlɔ̃ la, tia agbe, dzidzedze kple bubu.
Whoever follows justice and mercy shall discover life, justice, and glory.
22 Nunyala dze kalẽtɔ ƒe du dzi eye wòmu mɔ sesẽ si ŋu wole dzi ɖom ɖo la ƒu anyi.
The wise has ascended the city of the strong, and he has torn down the bulwark of its confidence.
23 Ame si kpɔa eƒe nu kple eƒe aɖe dzi la, ɖea eɖokui tso dzɔgbevɔ̃e me.
Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from anguish.
24 Ŋutsu dadala, ɖokuiŋudzela, si wɔa nu tovo kple dada la, eyae woyɔna be, “Fewuɖula.”
A proud and arrogant one is also called ignorant, if he, in anger, acts according to pride.
25 Kuviatɔ ƒe nudzodzro ahe ku vɛ nɛ, elabena eƒe asiwo gbe be yewomawɔ dɔ o.
Desires kill the lazy, for his hands are not willing to work at all.
26 Ele nu dzrom ŋkeke blibo la, ke ame dzɔdzɔe la nana faa, eye metea ame o.
He covets and desires all day long. But whoever is just shall distribute and shall not cease.
27 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe vɔsa nye ŋunyɔnu, kaka wòahanye be etsɔe vɛ kple susu vɔ̃ɖi.
The sacrifices of the impious are abominable, because they are offered out of wickedness.
28 Aʋatsoɖasefo atsrɔ̃ eye ame si ɖoa toe la atsrɔ̃ gbidigbidi.
A lying witness will perish. An obedient man shall speak of victory.
29 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖoa mo kplala ɖi, ke dzɔdzɔetɔ léa ŋku ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu.
The impious man insolently hardens his face. But whoever is upright corrects his own way.
30 Nunya, gɔmesese kple ɖoɖo aɖeke meli si adze edzi o, ne etsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa ŋu.
There is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel, which is against the Lord.
31 Woblaa akpa na sɔ ɖe aʋakpegbe ŋu, gake Yehowa ƒe asimee dziɖuɖu ya le.
The horse is prepared for the day of battle. But the Lord bestows salvation.
