Lododowo 23
1 Ne ènɔ kplɔ̃ ŋu be yeaɖu nu kple fia la, lé ŋku ɖe nu si wotsɔ ɖo akɔwò me la ŋu nyuie
When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
2 eye tsɔ hɛ ɖo wò ve dzi ne ènye nutsuɖula.
and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
3 Mègadzro eƒe nuɖuɖu kpeɖiwo o elabena nuɖuɖu ma nye beble.
Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
4 Mègaku kutri vivivo, agbɔdzɔ ɖokuiwò be yeakpɔ hotsui o, dze nunya nàlé avu ɖokuiwò.
Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
5 Kasia wò ŋku nabe yeato kesinɔnuwo dzi la, wo nu va yi xoxo elabena woato aʋala godoo eye woadzo adzo ayi ɖe dziƒo ʋĩi abe hɔ̃ ene.
Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
6 Mègaɖu ŋutsu nuvela ƒe nuɖuɖu o, eye eƒe nuɖuɖu kpeɖiwo megadzro wò o,
Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
7 elabena enye ame si le ga si wòagblẽ ɖe nua ɖaɖa ŋuti la ŋu bum. Egblɔ na wò be, “Ɖu nu, nàno nu” gake megblɔe tso eƒe dzi me o.
for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Àdzɔ nu sue si nèɖu la hã eye àtsɔ wò kafukafunya siwo nègblɔ la hã ada ahee.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
9 Mègaƒo nu ɖe bometsila ƒe to me o, elabena ado vlo wò nunyanyawo.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Mègaɖe blemaliƒokpewo ɖa alo age ɖe tsyɔ̃eviwo ƒe agble me o
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
11 elabena ŋusẽtɔe nye wo ta ʋlila; eye awɔ avu kpli wò ɖe wo nu.
for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
12 Tsɔ wò dzi ku ɖe nufiame ŋu eye wò towo natrɔ ɖe gɔmesese ŋu.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Mègagbe tohehe na ɖevi o, ne èƒoe kple ati la, mele kuku ge o.
Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
It is you who must beat him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Vinye, ne wò dzi dze nunya la, ekema nye hã nye dzi akpɔ dzidzɔ
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
16 eye nye ememe ke atso aseye ne wò nuyiwo gblɔ nu si le dzɔdzɔe.
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Mègana wò dzi naʋã ŋu nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo o, ke boŋ tsɔ dzo ɖe Yehowavɔvɔ̃ ŋu.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
18 Vavã, mɔkpɔkpɔ le asiwò hena etsɔ si gbɔna eye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ mazu dzodzro o.
Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Vinye, ɖo tom ne nàdze nunya eye na wò dzi nanɔ mɔ dzɔdzɔetɔ dzi.
Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
20 Mègade ha kple ame siwo nye waintsunolawo alo lã geɖe ɖulawo o.
Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 Elabena ahatsunolawo kple nutsuɖulawo la, ahee wodana eye alɔ̃ tsu dɔdɔ nana wonɔa awu vuvuwo me.
for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Ɖo to fofowò, ame si dzi wò eye mègado vlo dawò ne eku nyagã o.
Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Ƒle nyateƒe la eye mègadzrae o; ƒle nunya, amehehe kple gɔmesese.
Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Ame dzɔdzɔe fofo atso aseye geɖe eye ame si si vi nyanu le la akpɔ dzidzɔ le eŋu.
The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
25 Dawò kple fofowò nekpɔ dzidzɔ eye nyɔnu si dzi wò la netso aseye!
Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
26 Vinye, tsɔ wò dzi nam eye wò ŋkuwo nenɔ nye mɔwo ŋu
My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 elabena gbolo la, ʋe globoe wònye eye srɔ̃nyɔnu ahasitɔ la, vudo xaxɛ wònye.
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
28 Ede xa ɖi abe adzodala ene eye wòdzia ŋutsu ahasitɔwo ƒe xexlẽme ɖe edzi.
She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
29 Ame kae le hũu ɖem? Ame kae le veve sem? Ame kae le nu xam? Ame kae le eƒe nuteɖeamedziwo gblɔm? Ame kae xɔ abi yakatsyɔ? Ame ka ƒe ŋkue biã abe ʋu ene?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Ame siwo tsia wainze te la tɔe, ame siwo yina ɖaɖɔa wain si wotɔtɔ kpɔ la tɔe.
Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
31 Mègaɖɔ wain kpɔ ne ebiã dzẽe, ne ele fu tsɔm le kplu me, ne eto vetome heɖiɖi ɖe dɔ me o!
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 Le nuwuwu la, eɖua ame abe da ene eye wònyɔa aɖi abe ƒli ene.
In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
33 Wò ŋkuwo akpɔ nu tutɔ manyatalenuwo eye wò susu anɔ nu baɖabaɖawo susum.
Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Ànɔ abe ame si mlɔ atsiaƒu gbana dzi alo ame si mlɔ abala dzi ene.
You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
35 Àgblɔ be, “Woxlã nu ɖem gake nyemexɔ abi o! Woƒom gake mevem o! Ɣe ka ɣi gɔ̃ manyɔ ne magadi ahayomemɔ?”
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
