Lododowo 26
1 Abe ale si sno dzanae le dzomeŋɔli alo tsi dzanae le nuŋeɣi ene la, nenemae bubu medze bometsila o.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so, unbecoming to a dullard is honour.
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 a sparrow in wandering, as a swallow in flying, so, a causeless curse, shall not alight.
3 Sɔƒoka li na sɔ, numega li na tedzi nenemae ameƒoti li na bometsila ƒe dzimegbe!
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of dullards.
4 Mègaɖo nya ŋu na bometsila le eƒe bometsitsi nu o, ne menye nenema o la, wò ŋutɔ hã ànɔ abe eya amea ene.
Do not answer a dullard, according to his folly, lest, even thou thyself, 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.
Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6 Dudede asi na bometsila le abe ame ŋutɔ ƒe afɔ lalã alo dzɔgbevɔ̃e nono ene.
One who cutteth off feet, one who drinketh down wrong, is he who sendeth a message by the hand of a dullard.
7 Abe ale si atatututɔ ƒe afɔ nɔa yamee ene la, nenemae lododo le le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.
8 Abe ale si wotsɔa kpe dea akafomee ene la, nenemae bubudede bometsila ŋu le.
Like tying a stone to a sling, so, is he that giveth honour, to a dullard.
9 Abe ale si ŋuti nɔna le ahamula ƒe asimee ene la, nenemae lododo nɔna le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
A brier cometh into the hand of a drunken-man, a proverb into the mouth of dullards.
10 Ame si daa aŋutrɔ bometsila dzodzro la le abe ame si dɔa dɔ ame si le eme tsom la ene.
[As] an archer who woundeth every thing, [so] one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.
11 Abe ale si avu trɔna gayia nu si wòdzɔ gbɔe ene la, nenemae bometsila gawɔa bometsinu si wòwɔ va yi.
As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.
12 Èkpɔ ame aɖe si nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ŋkume kpɔa? Mɔkpɔkpɔ geɖe li na bometsila wu eya amea.
Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye, —more hope of a dullard, than of him!
13 Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le mɔa dzi, dzata si le gbe tem ŋɔdzitɔe la le tsatsam le ablɔwo me!”
Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.
14 Abe ale si ʋɔtru trona le eƒe megbega mee ene la, nenemae kuviatɔ nɔa tɔtrɔm le eƒe aba dzii.
The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.
15 Kuviatɔ tsɔ eƒe asi de nuɖugba me gake kuvia ɖoe ale gbegbe be, edede nu me zu dɔ nɛ.
The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 Kuviatɔ nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, wu ame adre siwo ɖoa nya ŋu nunyatɔe.
Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.
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 who layeth hold of the ears of a dog, is a passer-by, who giveth vent to his wrath over a quarrel, not his!
18 Abe ale si aɖaʋatɔ daa akakati bibi alo aŋutrɔ si ŋu aɖi le la ene la,
As a madman throwing firebrands, arrows and death,
19 nenemae nye ame si ble ehavi eye emegbe wògblɔ nɛ be, “Fefem ko mele!”
So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?
20 Ne nake meli o la, dzo tsina; ne sakplitɔ meli o la, dzre kena.
Without wood a fire is quenched, and, where there is no tattler, strife is hushed.
21 Abe ale si aka léa dzo eye nake doa dzo ene la, nenema ŋutsu dzretɔ ƒlɔa dzre ɖoe.
Black coal to burning blocks, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man, for kindling 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 a tattler, are dainties, they, therefore go down into the chambers of the inner man.
23 Abe ale si wofaa sikatsi ɖe anyikplu ŋu ene la, nenema nuyi xɔdzo si ŋu dzi vɔ̃ɖi kpe ɖo la le.
Dross silver overlaid upon earthenware, so are burning lips, with a mischievous heart:
24 Ame baɖa tsɔa eƒe nuyi trɔa eɖokui bubue, gake eɣlaa beble ɖe eƒe dzi me.
With his lips, the hater dissembleth, but, within himself, he layeth up deceit:
25 Togbɔ be eƒe nyawo nya le sesem hã la, mègaxɔ edzi se o elabena ŋunyɔnu adre le eƒe dzi me.
Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:
26 Eƒe susu baɖa aɣla ɖe beble megbe, gake woaʋu go eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi le amehawo dome.
Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.
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 diggeth a pit, thereinto, shall fall, and, he that rolleth a stone, upon himself, shall it return.
28 Alakpaɖe léa fu ame siwo ŋuti wòle abi demii, eye nu si blea ame la hea gbegblẽ vɛ.
A false tongue, hateth them who are crushed by it, and, a flattering mouth, worketh occasion of stumbling.
