Lododowo 26
1 Abe ale si sno dzanae le dzomeŋɔli alo tsi dzanae le nuŋeɣi ene la, nenemae bubu medze bometsila o.
Honoring someone stupid is as inappropriate as snow in the summer or rain during harvest.
2 Abe ale si atsutsrɔe dzonae alo sagbadrɛ saa agbae ene la, nenemae ɖiŋu si wodo na ame ɖe madzɔmadzɔ dzi la tsia yamee.
A curse that isn't deserved won't land on the person, like a fluttering sparrow or a flitting swallow.
3 Sɔƒoka li na sɔ, numega li na tedzi nenemae ameƒoti li na bometsila ƒe dzimegbe!
Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!
4 Mègaɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu o, ne menye nenema o la, wò ŋutɔ hã ànɔ abe eya amea ene.
Don't answer stupid people following their stupidity, or you'll become as bad as them.
5 Ɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu, ne menye nenema o la ava bu eɖokui nunyalae le eɖokui gbɔ.
Answer stupid people following their stupidity, otherwise they'll think they're wise.
6 Dudede asi na bometsila le abe ame ŋutɔ ƒe afɔ lalã alo dzɔgbevɔ̃e nono ene.
Trusting someone stupid to deliver a message is like cutting of your feet or drinking poison.
7 Abe ale si atatututɔ ƒe afɔ nɔa yamee ene la, nenemae lododo le le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as useless as a lame person's legs.
8 Abe ale si wotsɔa kpe dea akafomee ene la, nenemae bubudede bometsila ŋu le.
Honoring someone stupid is as pointless as tying a stone into a sling.
9 Abe ale si ŋuti nɔna le ahamula ƒe asimee ene la, nenemae lododo nɔna le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as ridiculous as a thorn bush waved around by a drunk.
10 Ame si daa aŋutrɔ bometsila dzodzro la le abe ame si dɔa dɔ ame si le eme tsom la ene.
Anyone who hires someone stupid or just a passer-by is like an archer wounding people by shooting arrows at random.
11 Abe ale si avu trɔna gayia nu si wòdzɔ gbɔe ene la, nenemae bometsila gawɔa bometsinu si wòwɔ va yi.
Stupid people repeat their stupidity like a dog returning to its vomit.
12 Èkpɔ ame aɖe si nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ŋkume kpɔa? Mɔkpɔkpɔ geɖe li na bometsila wu eya amea.
Have you seen a man who is wise in his own eyes? There's more hope for stupid people than for him!
13 Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le mɔa dzi, dzata si le gbe tem ŋɔdzitɔe la le tsatsam le ablɔwo me!”
Lazy people are the ones who say, “There's a lion on the road—a lion running around the streets!”
14 Abe ale si ʋɔtru trona le eƒe megbega mee ene la, nenemae kuviatɔ nɔa tɔtrɔm le eƒe aba dzii.
A lazy person turns in bed like a door turns on its hinge.
15 Kuviatɔ tsɔ eƒe asi de nuɖugba me gake kuvia ɖoe ale gbegbe be, edede nu me zu dɔ nɛ.
Lazy people put their hands in a dish, but are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
16 Kuviatɔ nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, wu ame adre siwo ɖoa nya ŋu nunyatɔe.
In their own eyes lazy people are wiser than many sensible advisors.
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.
Interfering in someone else's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.
18 Abe ale si aɖaʋatɔ daa akakati bibi alo aŋutrɔ si ŋu aɖi le la ene la,
You're like a crazy person firing off blazing arrows and killing people
19 nenemae nye ame si ble ehavi eye emegbe wògblɔ nɛ be, “Fefem ko mele!”
if you lie to your friend and then say, “I was only joking!”
20 Ne nake meli o la, dzo tsina; ne sakplitɔ meli o la, dzre kena.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and without gossips, arguments stop.
21 Abe ale si aka léa dzo eye nake doa dzo ene la, nenema ŋutsu dzretɔ ƒlɔa dzre ɖoe.
An argumentative person fires up quarrels like putting charcoal on hot embers or wood on a fire.
22 Amenyagblɔla ƒe nyawo vivina abe nuɖuɖu vivi si woka de nu me la ene; eyina ɖe ame ƒe dɔgbowo me ke.
Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
23 Abe ale si wofaa sikatsi ɖe anyikplu ŋu ene la, nenema nuyi xɔdzo si ŋu dzi vɔ̃ɖi kpe ɖo la le.
Smooth talking with evil intent is like a shiny lead glaze on an earthenware pot.
24 Ame baɖa tsɔa eƒe nuyi trɔa eɖokui bubue, gake eɣlaa beble ɖe eƒe dzi me.
People say nice things to you even though they hate you; deep down they're just lying to you.
25 Togbɔ be eƒe nyawo nya le sesem hã la, mègaxɔ edzi se o elabena ŋunyɔnu adre le eƒe dzi me.
When people talk nicely to you, don't believe them—their minds are full of hate for you.
26 Eƒe susu baɖa aɣla ɖe beble megbe, gake woaʋu go eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi le amehawo dome.
Even though their hatred may be hidden by cunning tricks, their evil will be revealed to everyone.
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.
Those who dig pits to trap others will fall in themselves, and those who start boulders rolling will be crushed themselves.
28 Alakpaɖe léa fu ame siwo ŋuti wòle abi demii, eye nu si blea ame la hea gbegblẽ vɛ.
If you tell lies, you show you hate your victims; if you flatter people, you cause disaster.
