Lododowo 25
1 Esiawoe nye Solomo ƒe lododo bubu siwo Yuda fia Hezekia ƒe dɔdzikpɔlawo ŋlɔ da ɖi.
These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2 Enye Mawu ƒe ŋutikɔkɔe be wòaɣla nya; eye fiawo ƒe bubue nye be woaku nya me.
God's greatness is in doing things that can't be known, while the greatness of kings is in revealing things.
3 Abe ale si dziƒo kɔe eye anyigba gogloe ene la, nenemae womate ŋu adzro fiawo ƒe dzi me o.
Just as the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth can't be known, the king's thinking can't be known.
4 Ɖe ɖi ɖa le klosalo ŋu, ekema klosalonutula kpɔ dɔwɔnu.
Remove the waste from the silver, and the silversmith has pure silver to work with.
5 Ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi ɖa le fia la ŋkume ekema eƒe fiazikpui ali ke to dzɔdzɔenyenye me.
Remove the wicked from the king's presence and the king will rule securely and justly.
6 Mègado ɖokuiwò ɖe dzi le fia la ŋkume o eye mègaʋli nɔƒe le amegãwo dome o.
Don't try to make yourself look great before the king, and don't pretend to be among the important people,
7 Enyo be wòagblɔ na wò be, “Va dzime le afii” wu be wòaɖiɖi wò le bubumewo ŋkume. Nu si nèkpɔ kple wò ŋkuwo la,
for it's better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be humiliated before a nobleman. Even though you've seen something with your own eyes,
8 mègatsɔ dzitsitsi ahee va ʋɔnui o elabena nu ka nàwɔ le nuwuwua ne hawòvi la do ŋukpe wò?
don't rush to take legal action, for what are you going to do in the end when your neighbor shows you're wrong and humiliates you?
9 Ne èle nya hem kple hawòvi la, mègaʋu go ame bubu ƒe nya ɣaɣla o,
Discuss the case with your neighbor himself, and don't betray someone else's secret,
10 ne menye nenema o la, ame si see la ado ŋukpe wò eye ŋkɔ baɖa si le ŋuwò la maɖe ɖa akpɔ gbeɖe o.
otherwise whoever hears it will make you ashamed and you'll never lose your bad reputation.
11 Nya si wogblɔ dedie la, le abe “sikaplu” le klosalogba me ene.
Advice given at the right time is like golden apples set in silver.
12 Ŋutsu nunyala ƒe mokaname le na to si le esem la abe sikatogɛ alo sikatsyɔ̃ɖonu aɖe ene.
Constructive criticism from the wise to someone who listens is like a gold ring and a necklace of fine gold.
13 Dɔla nuteƒewɔla le na ame siwo dɔe la abe ale si sno fanae le nuŋeɣi ene; enana eƒe aƒetɔwo ƒe gbɔgbɔ gbɔna ɖe eme.
Faithful messengers are as refreshing to their master as cold snow on a hot harvest day.
14 Ŋutsu si ƒoa adegbe le nunana siwo mena o ŋu la le abe lilikpododo kple ya si medzaa tsi o la ene.
Someone who boasts about a gift they never give is like cloud and wind without rain.
15 Dzigbɔɖie wotsɔna blea fia nue eye aɖe bɔbɔe ate ŋu agbã ƒu.
If you're patient you can persuade your superior, and soft words can break down opposition.
16 Ne èke ɖe anyitsi ŋu la, no esi sinu nàte ŋui ko, ne ènoe fũu akpa la, àdzɔe.
If you find honey, eat just enough, for if you eat too much, you'll be sick.
17 Mègaƒo afɔɖi hawòvi ƒe aƒe me o, ne èle egbɔ dem kabakaba la, ava tsri wò.
Don't set foot in your neighbors' homes too often, otherwise they'll get fed up with you and hate you.
18 Ŋutsu si ɖi aʋatsoɖase ɖe ehavi ŋu la le abe kpo, yi alo aŋutrɔ ɖaɖɛ ene.
Telling lies in court against a friend is like attacking them with a mace, or a sword, or an arrow.
19 Dziɖoɖo ɖe nuteƒemawɔla ŋu le xaxaɣiwo le abe aɖu vovo alo afɔ tutu ene.
Trusting in unreliable people in times of trouble is like eating with a broken tooth or walking on a bad foot.
20 Ame si dzi ha na dzi kpekpe tɔ la le abe ame si ɖe awu kpekpe ɖi le vuvɔwɔgbe alo “vinigae” wokɔ ɖe “soɖa” dzi ene.
Singing happy songs to someone who's broken-hearted is like taking off your coat on a cold day, or pouring vinegar onto an open wound.
21 Ne dɔ le wò ketɔ wum la, na nui wòaɖu, ne tsikɔ le ewum la, na tsii wòano.
If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he's thirsty, give him a drink of water.
22 Ne èwɔ esia la, àƒo dzoka xɔxɔwo nu ƒu ɖe eƒe ta dzi, eye Yehowa ŋutɔ aɖo eteƒe na wò.
This will make him ashamed as if he had burning coals piled on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
23 Abe ale si anyieheya hea tsidzadza vɛ ene la, nenema amenyagblɔɖe dea adã mo na amee.
In the same way that the north wind brings rain, slandering people makes them angry.
24 Enyo be woanɔ dzogoe dzi le xɔta wu be woanɔ aƒe ɖeka me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla.
It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
25 Abe ale si tsi fafɛ faa akɔ na luʋɔ gbɔdzɔe ene la, nenema kee nya nyui tso duta hã nɔna.
Good news from a distant country is like cold water to an exhausted traveler.
26 Ame dzɔdzɔe si na mɔ ame vɔ̃ɖi la le abe tsitsetse si me blu alo vudo si me wolɔ gbe kɔ ɖo la ene.
Good people who give in to the wicked are like a muddied spring or a polluted well.
27 Menyo be woano anyitsi fũu alo wònye nu dzeame be ame nadi eya ŋutɔ ƒe bubu o.
It's not good to eat too much honey, or to want too much praise.
28 Ame si meɖua eɖokui dzi o la le abe du si ŋu wogbã gli le la ene.
Someone without control is as exposed as a town whose walls have been breached.
