Lododowo 27
1 Mègaƒo adegbe le etsɔ si gbɔna ŋu o elabena mènya nu si ŋkeke la ahe vɛ o.
Do not boast thyself of to-morrow, 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 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.
Heavy is a stone, and weighty is sand, —but, the vexation of a fool, is heavier than both.
4 Dziku la ŋutasẽlae eye dɔmedzoe la agbodzelae, ke ame ka ate ŋu anɔ te ɖe ŋuʋaʋã nu?
The cruelty of rage, and the overflow of anger! But who can stand before, jealousy?
5 Mokaname le ame dome nyo wu lɔlɔ̃ si woɣla.
Better is a rebuke that is open, than love carefully concealed.
6 Àte ŋu aka ɖe xɔlɔ̃ ƒe abideameŋu dzi gake ketɔ ƒe nugbugbɔ dzina ɖe edzi.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but lavished are the kisses of an enemy.
7 Ƒoɖila doa vlo anyitsi, ke hena dɔwuitɔ la, nu veve gɔ̃ hã vivina nɛ.
The surfeited soul, trampleth upon droppings from the comb, 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 wandering from her nest, so, is a man wandering from his place.
9 Ami ʋeʋĩ kple dzudzɔdonu ʋeʋĩ doa dzidzɔ na dzi, xɔlɔ̃ ƒe nunyoamenu tsoa eƒe aɖaŋuɖoɖo vavãwo me.
Oil and perfume, rejoice the heart, the sweetness of one’s friend, more than fragrant wood.
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, do not thou forsake; but, the house of thy brother, do not enter, in thy day of calamity, Better a neighbour 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 rejoice my heart, that I may answer him that reproacheth me in a matter.
12 Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila le yiyim eye wòkpe fu ɖe eta.
A prudent man, seeth calamity—he hideth himself, the simple, pass on—they suffer.
13 Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe de awɔba me, ne eda megbe na nyɔnu ahasitɔ.
Take a man’s garment when he hath become pledge for a stranger, then, for a female unknown, accept him as surety.
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, in the morning early, a reproach, shall it be reckoned to him.
15 Srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla le abe tsitrɔnu si le ɖuɖum madzudzɔmadzudzɔe le tsidzagbe ene.
A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
16 Asiɖoɖo edzi le abe asiɖoɖo ya dzi ene alo asitsɔtsɔ ku ami ene.
He that hideth her, hideth the wind, and, perfume, his right hand may proclaim.
17 Abe ale si ga nyrea ga ene la, nenema kee ame nyrea amee.
Let, iron, by iron, become sharp, and let, a 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 guardeth the fig-tree, shall eat the fruit thereof, and, he that watcheth over 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.
Hades and destruction, are not satisfied, and, the eyes of a man, are not satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Sonu li na klosalo, eye dzokpo li na sika, gake wodoa ame kpɔ to kafukafu si wotsɔ nɛ la dzi.
Fining pot for silver, and crucible for gold, and, a man, [is to be tried] by what he praiseth.
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 pound a fool in a mortar, amidst grain, with a pestle, his folly, will not depart from him.
23 Ka ɖe edzi be wò alẽhawo ƒe nɔnɔme le nyanya na wò eye wò ŋku le wò lãhawo ŋu ɖaa;
Note well, the appearance of thy flock, apply thy mind to thy herds;
24 elabena kesinɔnuwo menɔa anyi ɖikaa o eye fiakuku hã menɔa anyi hena dzidzimewo katã o.
For, not age-abiding, are riches, nor is the diadem, 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 grass, is taken away, and the young shoot, showeth itself, and the herbage of the mountains, is gathered;
26 ekema alẽviawo ana avɔ wò eye gbɔ̃wo anye ga si nàtsɔ aƒle agblee.
There are, lambs, for thy clothing, and, for the price of thy field, there are he-goats;
27 Gbɔ̃notsi anɔ asiwò fũu be wò kple wò aƒemetɔwo miano eye wòanye nunyiame na wò dɔlanyɔnuwo.
With, enough goats-milk, for thy food—for the food of thy household, and, a maintenance, for thy maidens.
