Lododowo 27
1 Mègaƒo adegbe le etsɔ si gbɔna ŋu o elabena mènya nu si ŋkeke la ahe vɛ o.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day will 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 another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; 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 the sand weighty; but a fool's vexation is heavier than them both.
4 Dziku la ŋutasẽlae eye dɔmedzoe la agbodzelae, ke ame ka ate ŋu anɔ te ɖe ŋuʋaʋã nu?
Fury is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Mokaname le ame dome nyo wu lɔlɔ̃ si woɣla.
Open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 Àte ŋu aka ɖe xɔlɔ̃ ƒe abideameŋu dzi gake ketɔ ƒe nugbugbɔ dzina ɖe edzi.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 Ƒoɖila doa vlo anyitsi, ke hena dɔwuitɔ la, nu veve gɔ̃ hã vivina nɛ.
The full soul trampleth on a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Ame si tra tso eƒe aƒe me la le abe xevi si bu eƒe atɔmemɔ ene.
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Ami ʋeʋĩ kple dzudzɔdonu ʋeʋĩ doa dzidzɔ na dzi, xɔlɔ̃ ƒe nunyoamenu tsoa eƒe aɖaŋuɖoɖo vavãwo me.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart; and the sweetness of one's friend is [the fruit] of hearty counsel.
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 go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
11 Vinye, dze nunya eye nàhe dzidzɔ vɛ na nye dzi; ekema mate ŋu aɖo nya ŋu na ame si ado vlom.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me.
12 Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila le yiyim eye wòkpe fu ɖe eta.
A prudent [man] seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; the simple pass on, [and] are punished.
13 Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe de awɔba me, ne eda megbe na nyɔnu ahasitɔ.
Take his garment that is become surety [for] another, and hold him in pledge for a strange woman.
14 Ne ŋutsu aɖe le eƒe aƒelika yram kple ɣli le ŋdi kanya la, woatsɔe abe ɖiŋudodo ene.
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be reckoned a curse to him.
15 Srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla le abe tsitrɔnu si le ɖuɖum madzudzɔmadzudzɔe le tsidzagbe ene.
A continual dropping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike:
16 Asiɖoɖo edzi le abe asiɖoɖo ya dzi ene alo asitsɔtsɔ ku ami ene.
whosoever will restrain her restraineth the wind, and his right hand encountereth oil.
17 Abe ale si ga nyrea ga ene la, nenema kee ame nyrea amee.
Iron is sharpened by iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 Ame si lé be na eƒe gboti nyuie la aɖu eƒe tsetsea eye woade bubu ame si kpɔ eƒe aƒetɔ dzi la ŋu.
Whoso keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that guardeth his 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 [in] water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man.
Sheol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Sonu li na klosalo, eye dzokpo li na sika, gake wodoa ame kpɔ to kafukafu si wotsɔ nɛ la dzi.
The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; so let a man be to the mouth that praiseth him.
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.
If thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his folly depart from him.
23 Ka ɖe edzi be wò alẽhawo ƒe nɔnɔme le nyanya na wò eye wò ŋku le wò lãhawo ŋu ɖaa;
Be well acquainted with the appearance of thy flocks; look well to thy herds:
24 elabena kesinɔnuwo menɔa anyi ɖikaa o eye fiakuku hã menɔa anyi hena dzidzimewo katã o.
for wealth is not for ever; and doth the crown [endure] from generation to generation?
25 Ne woƒo gbe eye gbe mumu mie ɖe eteƒe, ne wolã gbe siwo le togbɛwo dzi ƒo ƒui la,
The hay is removed, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
26 ekema alẽviawo ana avɔ wò eye gbɔ̃wo anye ga si nàtsɔ aƒle agblee.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of a field;
27 Gbɔ̃notsi anɔ asiwò fũu be wò kple wò aƒemetɔwo miano eye wòanye nunyiame na wò dɔlanyɔnuwo.
and there is goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and sustenance for thy maidens.
