Lododowo 27
1 Mègaƒo adegbe le etsɔ si gbɔna ŋu o elabena mènya nu si ŋkeke la ahe vɛ o.
Boast not of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what the next day shall bring forth.
2 Na ame bubu nakafu wò, ke menye wò ŋutɔ wò nu o, ame bubu newɔe, menye wò ŋutɔ wò nuyiwo o.
Let thy neighbour, and not thine own mouth, praise thee; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 Kpe nye nu kpekpe eye ke nye agba kpekpe gake bometsila ƒe dzikudoname kpena wu wo ame evea.
A stone is heavy, and sand cumbersome; but a fool's wrath is heavier than both.
4 Dziku la ŋutasẽlae eye dɔmedzoe la agbodzelae, ke ame ka ate ŋu anɔ te ɖe ŋuʋaʋã nu?
Wrath is merciless, and anger sharp: but envy can bear nothing.
5 Mokaname le ame dome nyo wu lɔlɔ̃ si woɣla.
Open reproofs are better than secret love.
6 Àte ŋu aka ɖe xɔlɔ̃ ƒe abideameŋu dzi gake ketɔ ƒe nugbugbɔ dzina ɖe edzi.
The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.
7 Ƒoɖila doa vlo anyitsi, ke hena dɔwuitɔ la, nu veve gɔ̃ hã vivina nɛ.
A full soul scorns honeycombs; but to a hungry soul even bitter things appear sweet.
8 Ame si tra tso eƒe aƒe me la le abe xevi si bu eƒe atɔmemɔ ene.
As when a bird flies down from its own nest, so a man is brought into bondage whenever he estranges himself from his own place.
9 Ami ʋeʋĩ kple dzudzɔdonu ʋeʋĩ doa dzidzɔ na dzi, xɔlɔ̃ ƒe nunyoamenu tsoa eƒe aɖaŋuɖoɖo vavãwo me.
The heart delights in ointments and wines and perfumes: but the soul is broken by calamities.
10 Mègagblẽ xɔ̃wò alo fofowò xɔlɔ̃ ɖi o, eye mègayi nɔviwò ƒe aƒe me ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo go wò o, anyo na wò be nàyi hawòvi si tsɔ ɖe gbɔwò la gbɔ wu nɔviwò si le adzɔge.
Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; and when thou art in distress go not into thy brother's house: better is a friend [that is] near than a brother living far off.
11 Vinye, dze nunya eye nàhe dzidzɔ vɛ na nye dzi; ekema mate ŋu aɖo nya ŋu na ame si ado vlom.
Son, be wise, that thy heart may rejoice; and remove thou from thyself reproachful words.
12 Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila le yiyim eye wòkpe fu ɖe eta.
A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.
13 Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe de awɔba me, ne eda megbe na nyɔnu ahasitɔ.
Take away the man's garment, (for a scorner has passed by) whoever lays waste another's goods.
14 Ne ŋutsu aɖe le eƒe aƒelika yram kple ɣli le ŋdi kanya la, woatsɔe abe ɖiŋudodo ene.
Whosoever shall bless a friend in the morning with a loud voice, shall seem to differ nothing from one who curses [him].
15 Srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla le abe tsitrɔnu si le ɖuɖum madzudzɔmadzudzɔe le tsidzagbe ene.
On a stormy day drops [of rain] drive a man out of his house; so also does a railing woman [drive a man] out of his own house.
16 Asiɖoɖo edzi le abe asiɖoɖo ya dzi ene alo asitsɔtsɔ ku ami ene.
The north wind is sharp, but it is called by name propitious.
17 Abe ale si ga nyrea ga ene la, nenema kee ame nyrea amee.
Iron sharpens iron; and a man sharpens his friend's countenance.
18 Ame si lé be na eƒe gboti nyuie la aɖu eƒe tsetsea eye woade bubu ame si kpɔ eƒe aƒetɔ dzi la ŋu.
He that plants a fig-tree shall eat the fruits of it: so he that waits on his own master shall be honoured.
19 Abe ale si ame ƒe mo dzena le tsi dzii ene la, nenema ame ƒe dzi ɖea eƒe nɔnɔme fianae.
As faces are not like [other] faces, so neither are the thoughts of men.
Hell and destruction are not filled; so also are the eyes of men insatiable. [He that fixes his eye is an abomination to the Lord; and the uninstructed do not restrain their tongue.] (Sheol h7585)
21 Sonu li na klosalo, eye dzokpo li na sika, gake wodoa ame kpɔ to kafukafu si wotsɔ nɛ la dzi.
Fire is the trial for silver and gold; and a man is tried by the mouth of them that praise him. The heart of the transgressor seeks after mischiefs; but an upright heart seeks knowledge.
22 Togbɔ be èto bometsila le to me, ètoe kple tati abe bli ene hã la, màte ŋu aɖe eƒe bometsitsi ɖa le eŋu o.
Though thou scourge a fool, disgracing him in the midst of the council, thou wilt [still] in no wise remove his folly from him.
23 Ka ɖe edzi be wò alẽhawo ƒe nɔnɔme le nyanya na wò eye wò ŋku le wò lãhawo ŋu ɖaa;
Do thou thoroughly know the number of thy flock, and pay attention to thine herds.
24 elabena kesinɔnuwo menɔa anyi ɖikaa o eye fiakuku hã menɔa anyi hena dzidzimewo katã o.
For a man [has] not strength and power for ever; neither does he transmit it from generation to generation.
25 Ne woƒo gbe eye gbe mumu mie ɖe eteƒe, ne wolã gbe siwo le togbɛwo dzi ƒo ƒui la,
Take care of the herbage in the field, and thou shalt cut grass, and gather the mountain hay;
26 ekema alẽviawo ana avɔ wò eye gbɔ̃wo anye ga si nàtsɔ aƒle agblee.
that thou mayest have [wool of] sheep for clothing: pay attention to the land, that thou mayest have lambs.
27 Gbɔ̃notsi anɔ asiwò fũu be wò kple wò aƒemetɔwo miano eye wòanye nunyiame na wò dɔlanyɔnuwo.
[My] son, thou hast from me words very useful for thy life, and for the life of thy servants.
