Lododowo 26
1 Abe ale si sno dzanae le dzomeŋɔli alo tsi dzanae le nuŋeɣi ene la, nenemae bubu medze bometsila o.
As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, so honour is not [seemly] for a fool.
2 Abe ale si atsutsrɔe dzonae alo sagbadrɛ saa agbae ene la, nenemae ɖiŋu si wodo na ame ɖe madzɔmadzɔ dzi la tsia yamee.
As birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.
3 Sɔƒoka li na sɔ, numega li na tedzi nenemae ameƒoti li na bometsila ƒe dzimegbe!
As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod for a simple nation.
4 Mègaɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu o, ne menye nenema o la, wò ŋutɔ hã ànɔ abe eya amea ene.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him.
5 Ɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu, ne menye nenema o la ava bu eɖokui nunyalae le eɖokui gbɔ.
Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.
6 Dudede asi na bometsila le abe ame ŋutɔ ƒe afɔ lalã alo dzɔgbevɔ̃e nono ene.
He that sends a message by a foolish messenger procures for himself a reproach from his own ways.
7 Abe ale si atatututɔ ƒe afɔ nɔa yamee ene la, nenemae lododo le le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
[As well] take away the motion of the legs, as transgression from the mouth of fools.
8 Abe ale si wotsɔa kpe dea akafomee ene la, nenemae bubudede bometsila ŋu le.
He that binds up a stone in a sling, is like one that gives glory to a fool.
9 Abe ale si ŋuti nɔna le ahamula ƒe asimee ene la, nenemae lododo nɔna le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.
10 Ame si daa aŋutrɔ bometsila dzodzro la le abe ame si dɔa dɔ ame si le eme tsom la ene.
All the flesh of fools endures much hardship; for their fury is brought to nothing.
11 Abe ale si avu trɔna gayia nu si wòdzɔ gbɔe ene la, nenemae bometsila gawɔa bometsinu si wòwɔ va yi.
As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin. [There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame [that is] glory and grace.]
12 Èkpɔ ame aɖe si nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ŋkume kpɔa? Mɔkpɔkpɔ geɖe li na bometsila wu eya amea.
I have seen a man who seemed to himself to be wise; but a fool had more hope than he.
13 Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le mɔa dzi, dzata si le gbe tem ŋɔdzitɔe la le tsatsam le ablɔwo me!”
A sluggard when sent on a journey says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and [there are] murderers in the streets.
14 Abe ale si ʋɔtru trona le eƒe megbega mee ene la, nenemae kuviatɔ nɔa tɔtrɔm le eƒe aba dzii.
As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 Kuviatɔ tsɔ eƒe asi de nuɖugba me gake kuvia ɖoe ale gbegbe be, edede nu me zu dɔ nɛ.
A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
16 Kuviatɔ nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, wu ame adre siwo ɖoa nya ŋu nunyatɔe.
A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.
17 Ame si le eme tsom gake de nu dzrenya si metsɔ egbɔ o me la le abe ame si lé towo kple eve na avu ene.
As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.
18 Abe ale si aɖaʋatɔ daa akakati bibi alo aŋutrɔ si ŋu aɖi le la ene la,
As those who need correction put forth [fair] words to men, and he that first falls in with the proposal will be overthrown;
19 nenemae nye ame si ble ehavi eye emegbe wògblɔ nɛ be, “Fefem ko mele!”
so are all that lay wait for their own friends, and when they are discovered, say, I did it in jest.
20 Ne nake meli o la, dzo tsina; ne sakplitɔ meli o la, dzre kena.
With much wood fire increases; but where there is not a double-minded man, strife ceases.
21 Abe ale si aka léa dzo eye nake doa dzo ene la, nenema ŋutsu dzretɔ ƒlɔa dzre ɖoe.
A hearth for coals, and wood for fire; and railing man for the tumult of strife.
22 Amenyagblɔla ƒe nyawo vivina abe nuɖuɖu vivi si woka de nu me la ene; eyina ɖe ame ƒe dɔgbowo me ke.
The words of cunning knaves are soft; but they strike [even] to the inmost parts of the bowels.
23 Abe ale si wofaa sikatsi ɖe anyikplu ŋu ene la, nenema nuyi xɔdzo si ŋu dzi vɔ̃ɖi kpe ɖo la le.
Silver dishonestly given is to be considered as a potsherd: smooth lips cover a grievous heart.
24 Ame baɖa tsɔa eƒe nuyi trɔa eɖokui bubue, gake eɣlaa beble ɖe eƒe dzi me.
A weeping enemy promises all things with his lips, but in his heart he contrives deceit.
25 Togbɔ be eƒe nyawo nya le sesem hã la, mègaxɔ edzi se o elabena ŋunyɔnu adre le eƒe dzi me.
Though [your] enemy entreat you with a loud voice, consent not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Eƒe susu baɖa aɣla ɖe beble megbe, gake woaʋu go eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi le amehawo dome.
He that hides enmity frames deceit: but being easily discerned, exposes his own sins in the public assemblies.
27 Ne ame aɖe ɖe ʋe la, eya ŋutɔ age adze eme eye ame si amli kpe la, kpe si wòmli la age adze eya ŋutɔ dzi.
He that digs a pit for his neighbour shall fall into it: and he that rolls a stone, rolls it upon himself.
28 Alakpaɖe léa fu ame siwo ŋuti wòle abi demii, eye nu si blea ame la hea gbegblẽ vɛ.
A lying tongue hates the truth; and an unguarded mouth causes tumults.
