Lododowo 22
1 Ŋkɔ nyui didi nyo wu kesinɔnuwo eye ŋudzedzekpɔkpɔ nyo wu klosalo kple sika.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2 Nu ɖeka siae nàkpɔ le kesinɔtɔ kple ame dahe ŋu: Yehowae nye wo katã Wɔla.
The rich and the poor meet together. Jehovah is the maker of them all.
3 Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila ya yiyim ko wòle eye wòkpea fu ɖe enu.
A prudent man sees the evil, and hides himself, but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
4 Ɖokuibɔbɔ kple Yehowavɔvɔ̃ hea kesinɔnu, bubu kple agbe vɛ.
The reward of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and honor and life.
5 Ŋu kple mɔkawo le ame vɔ̃ɖi la ƒe mɔ dzi, ke ame si dzɔ eƒe luʋɔ ŋuti la, ate ɖa xaa tso wo gbɔ.
Thorns and snares are in the way of a perverse man. He who keeps his soul shall be far from them.
6 He ɖevi ɖe mɔ si wòato la dzi eye ne etsi la, mate ɖa le edzi o.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 Kesinɔtɔwo ɖua gã ɖe ame dahewo dzi eye nugbanadola zua dɔla na ame si do nugbana la nɛ.
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
8 Ame si ƒã vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi la axa dzɔgbevɔ̃e, eye woatsrɔ eƒe dɔmedzoe ƒe ameƒoti.
He who sows iniquity shall reap calamity, and the rod of his wrath shall fail.
9 Woayra ame si nyoa dɔ me na amewo elabena emaa eƒe nuɖuɖu kple ame dahewo.
He who has a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor.
10 Nya fewuɖula la do goe eye dzre hã ado go, nenema ke nyahehe kple dzudzu hã awu nu.
Cast out the scoffer, and contention will go out, yea, strife and reproach will cease.
11 Ame si lɔ̃ dzi dzadzɛ kple nuƒoƒo si me nya dzetowo le la, eyae fia la adze xɔ̃e.
He who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips, the king will be his friend.
12 Yehowa ƒe ŋkuwo le nugɔmesese ŋu, ke etrɔa gbo nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe nyawo.
The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the treacherous man.
13 Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le gota!” alo “Woava wum le ablɔ dzi!”
The sluggard says, There is a lion outside. I shall be slain in the streets.
14 Nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe nu la, ʋe globo wònye eye ame si dzi Yehowa ƒe dziku le la eyae age adze eme.
The mouth of interloping women is a deep pit. He who is abhorred of Jehovah shall fall in it.
15 Wobla bometsitsi ɖe ɖevi ƒe dzi ŋu, ke ɖɔɖɔɖo ƒe ameƒoti ana wòate ɖa xaa tso egbɔ.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 Ame si tea ame dahewo ɖe anyi be yeadzi yeƒe kesinɔnuwo ɖe edzi kple ame si naa nu kesinɔtɔ la siaa age ɖe hiã me.
He who oppresses a poor man to his increase, and he who gives to a rich man, comes only to want.
17 Ƒu to anyi eye nàse nunyalawo ƒe nyawo, na wò dzi naku ɖe nu si fiam mele ŋuti,
Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.
18 elabena edoa dzidzɔ na ame ne èɣla wo ɖe wò dzi me, eye wo katã nanɔ klalo le wò nuyiwo dzi.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, if they be established together upon thy lips.
19 Ale be nàɖo dzi ɖe Yehowa ŋu, esia ta mele nu fiam wò ɖo egbea, ɛ̃, wòe mele nu fiam.
That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I have made them known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Ɖe nyemeŋlɔ nufiamenya blaetɔ̃ na wò, aɖaŋuɖonyawo kple nugɔmesenyawo
Have I not written to thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge,
21 be woafia nyateƒe kple kakaɖedzinyawo wò be nàtsɔ nunyanyawo aɖo nya ŋu na ame si dɔ wò la oa?
to make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou may carry back words of truth to those who send thee?
22 Mègaba ame dahewo le esi woda ahe ta o eye mègate hiãtɔ ɖe to le ʋɔnu o,
Do not rob a poor man, because he is poor, nor oppress an afflicted man in the gate.
23 elabena Yehowa axɔ nya ɖe wo nu eye wòaha ame si ha wo.
For Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil of life those who despoil them.
24 Mègadze xɔ̃ ŋutsu dɔmedzoetɔ o eye mègade ha kple ame si doa dziku kabakaba o,
Make no friendship with a man who is given to anger, and thou shall not go with a wrathful man,
25 ne menye nenema o la, àva srɔ̃ eƒe mɔwo eye nàtsɔ ɖokuiwò ade mɔ me.
lest thou learn this ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Mèganye ame si ƒua asi akɔ ɖe fenyila nu alo dea megbe na ame si do nugbana la o;
Be thou not one of those who strike hands, or of those who are sureties for debts.
27 eye ne mèkpɔ ga axe fea o la, woaɖe aba si dzi nèmlɔna la gɔ̃ hã le tewò.
If thou have not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Mègaɖe blemaliƒokpe si fofowòwo ɖi la ɖa o.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Èkpɔ ame si bi ɖe eƒe dɔ me la le dɔ wɔma? Asubɔ le fiawo ŋgɔ eye menye le ame tsɛwo ŋgɔ o.
See thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.
