Lododowo 24
1 Mègabiã ŋu ame vɔ̃ɖiwo o, mègadi woƒe hamenɔnɔ o
Do not imitate evil men, nor desire to be among them.
2 elabena woƒe dzi ɖoa nu tovo eye woƒe nuyiwo ƒoa nu tso nu gbegblẽ wɔwɔ ŋuti.
For their mind meditates on robberies, and their lips speak deceptions.
3 Nunya wotsɔna tua xɔe eye gɔmesese wotsɔna ɖoa egɔme anyie,
By wisdom shall a house be built, and by prudence shall it be strengthened.
4 to sidzedze me wotsɔa nu nyui tɔxɛ siwo mebɔ o kple kesinɔnu nyuiwo yɔa woƒe xɔwo mee.
By doctrine, the storerooms shall be filled with every substance that is precious and most beautiful.
5 Ŋusẽ gã aɖe le nunyala si eye ame si si gɔmesese le la dzia eƒe ŋusẽ ɖe edzi.
A wise man is strong, and a well-taught man is robust and valiant.
6 Èhiã nufiame hafi adze aʋa eye hafi dziɖuɖu nava la, èhiã aɖaŋuɖola geɖewo.
For war is undertaken in an orderly manner, and safety shall be where there are many counsels.
7 Nunya kɔ boo na bometsila akpa; le amehawo dome, le agbo nu la, nya aɖeke mele esi wòagblɔ o.
Wisdom is beyond the foolish; at the gate he will not open his mouth.
8 Ame si ɖo vɔ̃ be yeawɔ lae woyɔna be ame vɔ̃ɖi.
Whoever intends to do evil shall be called foolish.
9 Bometsinuwo ɖoɖo nye nu vɔ̃ eye amewo tsria fewuɖula.
The intention of the foolish is sin. And the detractor is an abomination among men.
10 Ne èʋuʋu le xaxaɣi la, aleke wò ŋusẽ mehele sue o?
If you despair, being weary in the day of anguish, your strength will be diminished.
11 Ɖe ame siwo wokplɔ yina wuwu ge eye xɔ na ame siwo le yiyim sɔgɔsɔgɔ yina ɖe ku me.
Rescue those who are led away to death. And do not cease from delivering those who are dragged away to a violent death.
12 Ne ègblɔ be, “Míenya naneke tso nu sia ŋuti o” la, ɖe ame si daa dziwo kpɔ la menyae oa? Ɖe wòle nyanya na ame si kpɔa wò agbe ta? Ɖe maɖo eteƒe na ame sia ame ɖe nu si wòwɔ la nu oa?
If you would say: “I do not have sufficient strength.” He who inspects the heart, the same one understands, and nothing slips past the one who preserves your soul. And he shall repay a man according to his works.
13 Vinye, no anyitsi elabena enyo; anyitsi tso anyito me avivi le wò nu me.
My son, eat honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, because it is so sweet to your throat.
14 Nyae hã be, nunya avivi wò luʋɔ nu; ne èke ɖe eŋu la, mɔkpɔkpɔ li na wò hena etsɔ si gbɔna eye wò mɔkpɔkpɔ mazu dzodzro o.
So, too, is the doctrine of wisdom to your soul. When you have found it, you will have hope in the end, and your hope shall not perish.
15 Mègade xa ɖe ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe aƒe ŋu o, mègava ha enɔƒe o
Do not lie in wait, and do not seek impiety in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 elabena togbɔ be ame dzɔdzɔe adze anyi zi adre hã la, agafɔ gake ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ya la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e ahe wo aƒu anyi.
For the just one will fall seven times, and he shall rise again. But the impious will fall into evil.
17 Mègakpɔ dziɖuɖu ƒe dzidzɔ ne wò futɔ dze anyi o, eye ne ekli nu la, dzi megadzɔ wò o,
When your enemy will fall, do not be glad, and do not let your heart exult in his ruin,
18 elabena Yehowa akpɔe, eye madze eŋu o, eye wòaɖe eƒe dziku ɖa le edzi.
lest perhaps the Lord see, and it displease him, and he may take away his wrath from him.
19 Mègadzo nyanyanya le ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ta alo aʋã ŋu ŋutasẽla o,
Do not contend with the most wicked, and do not be a rival to the impious.
20 elabena mɔkpɔkpɔ aɖeke meli na ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖe etsɔ si gbɔna ŋuti o eye woatsi ŋutasẽlawo ƒe akaɖi.
For the evil hold no hope in the future, and the lamp of the impious will be extinguished.
21 Vinye, vɔ̃ Yehowa kple fia la eye mègade aglãdzelawo dzi o
My son, fear the Lord, as well as the king. And do not mingle with detractors.
22 elabena ame eve mawo ana gbegblẽ naƒo ɖe wo dzi kpoyi eye ame kae nya dzɔgbevɔ̃e si woate ŋu ahe vɛ?
For their perdition shall rise up suddenly. And who knows what ruin will be for each of them?
23 Esiawo hã nye nunyalawo ƒe nyagbɔgblɔwo: Akpa ɖeka dzi dede le ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃ me menyo o.
Likewise, these things are for the wise. It is not good to base judgment on knowledge of character.
24 Ame si agblɔ na fɔɖila be, “Mèdze agɔ o” la, amewo ado ɖiŋu nɛ eye dukɔwo anyɔ ŋui.
Those who say to the impious, “You are just,” shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall detest them.
25 Ke eme anyo na ame siwo abu fɔ agɔdzela eye yayra gãwo ava wo ameawo dzi.
Those who argue against the impious shall be praised, and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Nyaŋuɖoɖo ɖe ɖoɖo nu le abe nugbugbɔ ene.
He shall kiss the lips, who responds with upright words.
27 Wu wò gotadɔwo nu eye nàdzra wò agble me ɖo, ema megbe la, tu wò xɔ.
Prepare your outdoor work, and diligently cultivate your field, so that afterward, you may build your house.
28 Mègaɖu ɖasefo ɖe hawòvi ŋu dzodzro alo atsɔ wò nuyiwo aka aʋatsoe o.
Do not be a witness without cause against your neighbor. And do not mislead anyone with your lips.
29 Mègagblɔ be, “Mele ewɔ ge nɛ abe ale si wòwɔe ɖe ŋutinye ene, mele eteƒe ɖo ge na ŋutsu sia ɖe nu si wòwɔ la ta” o.
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me.” I will repay each one according to his work.
30 Meto kuviatɔ kple ame manyanu ƒe waingble ŋu yi;
I passed by the field of a lazy man, and by the vineyard of a foolish man,
31 ŋu vu tsyɔ afi sia afi, gbe to ɖe eme katã eye kpekpɔ la kaka le eŋu.
and behold, it was entirely filled with nettles, and thorns had covered its surface, and the stonewall was destroyed.
32 Metsɔ nye dzi ɖo nu si mekpɔ la ŋu eye mesrɔ̃ nu tso nu si mekpɔ la me.
When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart, and by this example, I received discipline.
33 Dɔ alɔ̃ vie, dɔ akɔlɔ̃e sẽe, ŋlɔ wò abɔwo nàdzudzɔ vie,
You will sleep a little,” I said. “You will slumber briefly. You will fold your hands a little, so as to rest.
34 tete ahedada aƒo ɖe dziwò abe adzodala ene, eye hiã abe aʋakalẽtɔ si bla akpa ene.
And destitution will overtake you like a runner, and begging will overtake you like an armed man.”
