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, and 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 poor meet together: the LORD 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 foresees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 Ɖokuibɔbɔ kple Yehowavɔvɔ̃ hea kesinɔnu, bubu kple agbe vɛ.
By humility and the fear of the LORD are 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 the fraudulent: he that does keep 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 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 rules 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 that sows iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9 Woayra ame si nyoa dɔ me na amewo elabena emaa eƒe nuɖuɖu kple ame dahewo.
He that 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 scorner, and contention shall go out; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 Ame si lɔ̃ dzi dzadzɛ kple nuƒoƒo si me nya dzetowo le la, eyae fia la adze xɔ̃e.
He that loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
12 Yehowa ƒe ŋkuwo le nugɔmesese ŋu, ke etrɔa gbo nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe nyawo.
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.
13 Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le gota!” alo “Woava wum le ablɔ dzi!”
The slothful man says, There is a lion without, 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 strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
15 Wobla bometsitsi ɖe ɖevi ƒe dzi ŋu, ke ɖɔɖɔɖo ƒe ameƒoti ana wòate ɖa xaa tso egbɔ.
Foolishness is bound 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 that oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he that gives to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Ƒu to anyi eye nàse nunyalawo ƒe nyawo, na wò dzi naku ɖe nu si fiam mele ŋuti,
Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your 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 you keep them within you; they shall with be fitted in your lips.
19 Ale be nàɖo dzi ɖe Yehowa ŋu, esia ta mele nu fiam wò ɖo egbea, ɛ̃, wòe mele nu fiam.
That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to you this day, even to you.
20 Ɖe nyemeŋlɔ nufiamenya blaetɔ̃ na wò, aɖaŋuɖonyawo kple nugɔmesenyawo
Have not I written to you excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 be woafia nyateƒe kple kakaɖedzinyawo wò be nàtsɔ nunyanyawo aɖo nya ŋu na ame si dɔ wò la oa?
That I might make you know the certainty of the words of truth; that you might answer the words of truth to them that send to you?
22 Mègaba ame dahewo le esi woda ahe ta o eye mègate hiãtɔ ɖe to le ʋɔnu o,
Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 elabena Yehowa axɔ nya ɖe wo nu eye wòaha ame si ha wo.
For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Mègadze xɔ̃ ŋutsu dɔmedzoetɔ o eye mègade ha kple ame si doa dziku kabakaba o,
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man you shall not go:
25 ne menye nenema o la, àva srɔ̃ eƒe mɔwo eye nàtsɔ ɖokuiwò ade mɔ me.
Lest you learn his ways, and get a snare to your soul.
26 Mèganye ame si ƒua asi akɔ ɖe fenyila nu alo dea megbe na ame si do nugbana la o;
Be not you one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
27 eye ne mèkpɔ ga axe fea o la, woaɖe aba si dzi nèmlɔna la gɔ̃ hã le tewò.
If you have nothing to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
28 Mègaɖe blemaliƒokpe si fofowòwo ɖi la ɖa o.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which your 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 you a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
