Lododowo 22
1 Ŋkɔ nyui didi nyo wu kesinɔnuwo eye ŋudzedzekpɔkpɔ nyo wu klosalo kple sika.
More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
2 Nu ɖeka siae nàkpɔ le kesinɔtɔ kple ame dahe ŋu: Yehowae nye wo katã Wɔla.
The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
3 Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila ya yiyim ko wòle eye wòkpea fu ɖe enu.
A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
4 Ɖokuibɔbɔ kple Yehowavɔvɔ̃ hea kesinɔnu, bubu kple agbe vɛ.
The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, 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 perverse, —he that guardeth 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 youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh 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, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
8 Ame si ƒã vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi la axa dzɔgbevɔ̃e, eye woatsrɔ eƒe dɔmedzoe ƒe ameƒoti.
He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
9 Woayra ame si nyoa dɔ me na amewo elabena emaa eƒe nuɖuɖu kple ame dahewo.
A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given 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.
Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
11 Ame si lɔ̃ dzi dzadzɛ kple nuƒoƒo si me nya dzetowo le la, eyae fia la adze xɔ̃e.
Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
12 Yehowa ƒe ŋkuwo le nugɔmesese ŋu, ke etrɔa gbo nuteƒemawɔlawo ƒe nyawo.
The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
13 Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le gota!” alo “Woava wum le ablɔ dzi!”
Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
14 Nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe nu la, ʋe globo wònye eye ame si dzi Yehowa ƒe dziku le la eyae age adze eme.
A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
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 youth, 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 oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving 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,
Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
18 elabena edoa dzidzɔ na ame ne èɣla wo ɖe wò dzi me, eye wo katã nanɔ klalo le wò nuyiwo dzi.
For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well 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 in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
20 Ɖe nyemeŋlɔ nufiamenya blaetɔ̃ na wò, aɖaŋuɖonyawo kple nugɔmesenyawo
Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
21 be woafia nyateƒe kple kakaɖedzinyawo wò be nàtsɔ nunyanyawo aɖo nya ŋu na ame si dɔ wò la oa?
To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
22 Mègaba ame dahewo le esi woda ahe ta o eye mègate hiãtɔ ɖe to le ʋɔnu o,
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
23 elabena Yehowa axɔ nya ɖe wo nu eye wòaha ame si ha wo.
For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
24 Mègadze xɔ̃ ŋutsu dɔmedzoetɔ o eye mègade ha kple ame si doa dziku kabakaba o,
Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
25 ne menye nenema o la, àva srɔ̃ eƒe mɔwo eye nàtsɔ ɖokuiwò ade mɔ me.
Lest thou learn his ways, and take 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 not of them who strike hands, of them 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 hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Mègaɖe blemaliƒokpe si fofowòwo ɖi la ɖa o.
Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
29 Èkpɔ ame si bi ɖe eƒe dɔ me la le dɔ wɔma? Asubɔ le fiawo ŋgɔ eye menye le ame tsɛwo ŋgɔ o.
Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
