Lododowo 27
1 Mègaƒo adegbe le etsɔ si gbɔna ŋu o elabena mènya nu si ŋkeke la ahe vɛ o.
Boast not thy selfe of to morowe: for thou knowest not what a day may 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 man prayse thee, and not thine owne mouth: a stranger, and not thine owne lips.
3 Kpe nye nu kpekpe eye ke nye agba kpekpe gake bometsila ƒe dzikudoname kpena wu wo ame evea.
A stone is heauie, and the sand weightie: but a fooles wrath is heauier then them both.
4 Dziku la ŋutasẽlae eye dɔmedzoe la agbodzelae, ke ame ka ate ŋu anɔ te ɖe ŋuʋaʋã nu?
Anger is cruell, and wrath is raging: but who can stand before enuie?
5 Mokaname le ame dome nyo wu lɔlɔ̃ si woɣla.
Open rebuke is better then secret loue.
6 Àte ŋu aka ɖe xɔlɔ̃ ƒe abideameŋu dzi gake ketɔ ƒe nugbugbɔ dzina ɖe edzi.
The wounds of a louer are faithful, and the kisses of an enemie are pleasant.
7 Ƒoɖila doa vlo anyitsi, ke hena dɔwuitɔ la, nu veve gɔ̃ hã vivina nɛ.
The person that is full, despiseth an hony combe: but vnto the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweete.
8 Ame si tra tso eƒe aƒe me la le abe xevi si bu eƒe atɔmemɔ ene.
As a bird that wandreth from her nest, so is a man that wandreth from his owne place.
9 Ami ʋeʋĩ kple dzudzɔdonu ʋeʋĩ doa dzidzɔ na dzi, xɔlɔ̃ ƒe nunyoamenu tsoa eƒe aɖaŋuɖoɖo vavãwo me.
As oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart, so doeth the sweetenes of a mans friend by hearty counsell.
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 owne friend and thy fathers friend forsake thou not: neither enter into thy brothers house in the day of thy calamitie: for better is a neighbour that is neere, then a brother farre off.
11 Vinye, dze nunya eye nàhe dzidzɔ vɛ na nye dzi; ekema mate ŋu aɖo nya ŋu na ame si ado vlom.
My sonne, be wise, and reioyce mine heart, that I may answere him that reprocheth me.
12 Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila le yiyim eye wòkpe fu ɖe eta.
A prudent man seeth the plague, and hideth himselfe: but the foolish goe on still, 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 surety for a stranger, and a pledge of him for the stranger.
14 Ne ŋutsu aɖe le eƒe aƒelika yram kple ɣli le ŋdi kanya la, woatsɔe abe ɖiŋudodo ene.
He that prayseth his friend with a loude voyce, rising earely in the morning, it shall be counted to him as a curse.
15 Srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla le abe tsitrɔnu si le ɖuɖum madzudzɔmadzudzɔe le tsidzagbe ene.
A continual dropping in the day of raine, and a contentious woman are alike.
16 Asiɖoɖo edzi le abe asiɖoɖo ya dzi ene alo asitsɔtsɔ ku ami ene.
He that hideth her, hideth the winde, and she is as ye oyle in his right hand, that vttereth it selfe.
17 Abe ale si ga nyrea ga ene la, nenema kee ame nyrea amee.
Yron sharpeneth yron, so doeth man sharpen the face 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.
He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eate the fruite thereof: so he that waiteth vpon his master, shall come to honour.
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.
The graue and destruction can neuer be full, so the eyes of man can neuer be satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Sonu li na klosalo, eye dzokpo li na sika, gake wodoa ame kpɔ to kafukafu si wotsɔ nɛ la dzi.
As is the fining pot for siluer and the fornace for golde, so is euery man according to his dignitie.
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 shouldest bray a foole in a morter among wheate brayed with a pestell, yet will not his foolishnes 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 diligent to know ye state of thy flocke, and take heede to the heardes.
24 elabena kesinɔnuwo menɔa anyi ɖikaa o eye fiakuku hã menɔa anyi hena dzidzimewo katã o.
For riches remaine not alway, nor the crowne 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 hey discouereth it selfe, and the grasse appeareth, and the herbes of the mountaines are gathered.
26 ekema alẽviawo ana avɔ wò eye gbɔ̃wo anye ga si nàtsɔ aƒle agblee.
The lambes are for thy clothing, and the goates are the price of the fielde.
27 Gbɔ̃notsi anɔ asiwò fũu be wò kple wò aƒemetɔwo miano eye wòanye nunyiame na wò dɔlanyɔnuwo.
And let the milke of the goates be sufficient for thy foode, for the foode of thy familie, and for the sustenance of thy maydes.
