Lododowo 26
1 Abe ale si sno dzanae le dzomeŋɔli alo tsi dzanae le nuŋeɣi ene la, nenemae bubu medze bometsila o.
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so a fool does not deserve honor.
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 the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly, so an undeserved curse does not alight.
3 Sɔƒoka li na sɔ, numega li na tedzi nenemae ameƒoti li na bometsila ƒe dzimegbe!
A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey and a rod is for the back of fools.
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 fool according to his folly, or you will 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 fool and join in on his folly, so he will not become wise in his own eyes.
6 Dudede asi na bometsila le abe ame ŋutɔ ƒe afɔ lalã alo dzɔgbevɔ̃e nono ene.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Abe ale si atatututɔ ƒe afɔ nɔa yamee ene la, nenemae lododo le le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Abe ale si wotsɔa kpe dea akafomee ene la, nenemae bubudede bometsila ŋu le.
Like tying a stone in a sling is giving honor to a fool.
9 Abe ale si ŋuti nɔna le ahamula ƒe asimee ene la, nenemae lododo nɔna le bometsila ƒe nu mee.
Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Ame si daa aŋutrɔ bometsila dzodzro la le abe ame si dɔa dɔ ame si le eme tsom la ene.
Like an archer who wounds all those around him is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.
11 Abe ale si avu trɔna gayia nu si wòdzɔ gbɔe ene la, nenemae bometsila gawɔa bometsinu si wòwɔ va yi.
As a dog returns to his own vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Èkpɔ ame aɖe si nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ŋkume kpɔa? Mɔkpɔkpɔ geɖe li na bometsila wu eya amea.
Do you see someone who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 Kuviatɔ gblɔna be, “Dzata le mɔa dzi, dzata si le gbe tem ŋɔdzitɔe la le tsatsam le ablɔwo me!”
The lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road! There is a lion between the open places!”
14 Abe ale si ʋɔtru trona le eƒe megbega mee ene la, nenemae kuviatɔ nɔa tɔtrɔm le eƒe aba dzii.
As the door turns on its hinges, so is the lazy person upon his bed.
15 Kuviatɔ tsɔ eƒe asi de nuɖugba me gake kuvia ɖoe ale gbegbe be, edede nu me zu dɔ nɛ.
The lazy person puts his hand into the dish and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.
16 Kuviatɔ nye nunyala le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkume, wu ame adre siwo ɖoa nya ŋu nunyatɔe.
The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who respond with good 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.
Like one who takes hold of the ears of a dog, is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.
18 Abe ale si aɖaʋatɔ daa akakati bibi alo aŋutrɔ si ŋu aɖi le la ene la,
Like a madman who shoots burning arrows,
19 nenemae nye ame si ble ehavi eye emegbe wògblɔ nɛ be, “Fefem ko mele!”
is the one who deceives his neighbor and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”
20 Ne nake meli o la, dzo tsina; ne sakplitɔ meli o la, dzre kena.
For lack of wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.
21 Abe ale si aka léa dzo eye nake doa dzo ene la, nenema ŋutsu dzretɔ ƒlɔa dzre ɖoe.
As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire, so is a quarrelsome person 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 gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 Abe ale si wofaa sikatsi ɖe anyikplu ŋu ene la, nenema nuyi xɔdzo si ŋu dzi vɔ̃ɖi kpe ɖo la le.
Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel so are burning lips and an evil heart.
24 Ame baɖa tsɔa eƒe nuyi trɔa eɖokui bubue, gake eɣlaa beble ɖe eƒe dzi me.
One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips and he lays up deceit within himself.
25 Togbɔ be eƒe nyawo nya le sesem hã la, mègaxɔ edzi se o elabena ŋunyɔnu adre le eƒe dzi me.
He will speak graciously, but do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Eƒe susu baɖa aɣla ɖe beble megbe, gake woaʋu go eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi le amehawo dome.
Though his hatred is covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
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.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.
28 Alakpaɖe léa fu ame siwo ŋuti wòle abi demii, eye nu si blea ame la hea gbegblẽ vɛ.
A lying tongue hates the people it crushes and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.
