Lododowo 24
1 Mègabiã ŋu ame vɔ̃ɖiwo o, mègadi woƒe hamenɔnɔ o
Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
2 elabena woƒe dzi ɖoa nu tovo eye woƒe nuyiwo ƒoa nu tso nu gbegblẽ wɔwɔ ŋuti.
For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
3 Nunya wotsɔna tua xɔe eye gɔmesese wotsɔna ɖoa egɔme anyie,
Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
4 to sidzedze me wotsɔa nu nyui tɔxɛ siwo mebɔ o kple kesinɔnu nyuiwo yɔa woƒe xɔwo mee.
And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
5 Ŋusẽ gã aɖe le nunyala si eye ame si si gɔmesese le la dzia eƒe ŋusẽ ɖe edzi.
A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
6 Èhiã nufiame hafi adze aʋa eye hafi dziɖuɖu nava la, èhiã aɖaŋuɖola geɖewo.
For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
7 Nunya kɔ boo na bometsila akpa; le amehawo dome, le agbo nu la, nya aɖeke mele esi wòagblɔ o.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
8 Ame si ɖo vɔ̃ be yeawɔ lae woyɔna be ame vɔ̃ɖi.
Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
9 Bometsinuwo ɖoɖo nye nu vɔ̃ eye amewo tsria fewuɖula.
The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
10 Ne èʋuʋu le xaxaɣi la, aleke wò ŋusẽ mehele sue o?
If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
11 Ɖe ame siwo wokplɔ yina wuwu ge eye xɔ na ame siwo le yiyim sɔgɔsɔgɔ yina ɖe ku me.
Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
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 thou shouldst say, Behold, we know not this man: lo, he that weigheth hearts will truly regard it, and he that keepeth thy soul will surely know it; and he will give a recompense to man according to his doing.
13 Vinye, no anyitsi elabena enyo; anyitsi tso anyito me avivi le wò nu me.
Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
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 obtain the knowledge of wisdom for thy soul: when thou hast found her, then shall there be a [happy] future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Mègade xa ɖe ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe aƒe ŋu o, mègava ha enɔƒe o
Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
16 elabena togbɔ be ame dzɔdzɔe adze anyi zi adre hã la, agafɔ gake ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ya la, dzɔgbevɔ̃e ahe wo aƒu anyi.
For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
17 Mègakpɔ dziɖuɖu ƒe dzidzɔ ne wò futɔ dze anyi o, eye ne ekli nu la, dzi megadzɔ wò o,
At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
18 elabena Yehowa akpɔe, eye madze eŋu o, eye wòaɖe eƒe dziku ɖa le edzi.
Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
19 Mègadzo nyanyanya le ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ta alo aʋã ŋu ŋutasẽla o,
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 elabena mɔkpɔkpɔ aɖeke meli na ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖe etsɔ si gbɔna ŋuti o eye woatsi ŋutasẽlawo ƒe akaɖi.
For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
21 Vinye, vɔ̃ Yehowa kple fia la eye mègade aglãdzelawo dzi o
My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
22 elabena ame eve mawo ana gbegblẽ naƒo ɖe wo dzi kpoyi eye ame kae nya dzɔgbevɔ̃e si woate ŋu ahe vɛ?
For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
23 Esiawo hã nye nunyalawo ƒe nyagbɔgblɔwo: Akpa ɖeka dzi dede le ʋɔnudɔdrɔ̃ me menyo o.
These things also are for the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 Ame si agblɔ na fɔɖila be, “Mèdze agɔ o” la, amewo ado ɖiŋu nɛ eye dukɔwo anyɔ ŋui.
Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
25 Ke eme anyo na ame siwo abu fɔ agɔdzela eye yayra gãwo ava wo ameawo dzi.
But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
26 Nyaŋuɖoɖo ɖe ɖoɖo nu le abe nugbugbɔ ene.
Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
27 Wu wò gotadɔwo nu eye nàdzra wò agble me ɖo, ema megbe la, tu wò xɔ.
Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
28 Mègaɖu ɖasefo ɖe hawòvi ŋu dzodzro alo atsɔ wò nuyiwo aka aʋatsoe o.
Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile with thy 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.
Say not, As he hath done to me so will I do to him: I will recompense every man according to his doing.
30 Meto kuviatɔ kple ame manyanu ƒe waingble ŋu yi;
By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
31 ŋu vu tsyɔ afi sia afi, gbe to ɖe eme katã eye kpekpɔ la kaka le eŋu.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
32 Metsɔ nye dzi ɖo nu si mekpɔ la ŋu eye mesrɔ̃ nu tso nu si mekpɔ la me.
And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
33 Dɔ alɔ̃ vie, dɔ akɔlɔ̃e sẽe, ŋlɔ wò abɔwo nàdzudzɔ vie,
“A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
34 tete ahedada aƒo ɖe dziwò abe adzodala ene, eye hiã abe aʋakalẽtɔ si bla akpa ene.
But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
