Lododowo 27
1 Mègaƒo adegbe le etsɔ si gbɔna ŋu o elabena mènya nu si ŋkeke la ahe vɛ o.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Na ame bubu nakafu wò, ke menye wò ŋutɔ wò nu o, ame bubu newɔe, menye wò ŋutɔ wò nuyiwo o.
Let someone else praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips.
3 Kpe nye nu kpekpe eye ke nye agba kpekpe gake bometsila ƒe dzikudoname kpena wu wo ame evea.
Consider the heaviness of a stone and the weight of sand— the provocation 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?
There is the cruelty of rage and the flood of anger, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Mokaname le ame dome nyo wu lɔlɔ̃ si woɣla.
Better is an open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Àte ŋu aka ɖe xɔlɔ̃ ƒe abideameŋu dzi gake ketɔ ƒe nugbugbɔ dzina ɖe edzi.
Faithful are the wounds caused by a friend, but an enemy may kiss you profusely.
7 Ƒoɖila doa vlo anyitsi, ke hena dɔwuitɔ la, nu veve gɔ̃ hã vivina nɛ.
A person who has eaten to the full rejects even a honeycomb, but to the hungry person, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Ame si tra tso eƒe aƒe me la le abe xevi si bu eƒe atɔmemɔ ene.
Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who strays from where he lives.
9 Ami ʋeʋĩ kple dzudzɔdonu ʋeʋĩ doa dzidzɔ na dzi, xɔlɔ̃ ƒe nunyoamenu tsoa eƒe aɖaŋuɖoɖo vavãwo me.
Perfume and incense make the heart rejoice, but the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere 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.
Do not forsake your friend and your friend's father, and do not go to your brother's house on the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is nearby than a brother who is far away.
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 rejoice; then I will give back an answer to the one who mocks me.
12 Nunyala kpɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e gbɔna eye wòɣla eɖokui gake bometsila le yiyim eye wòkpe fu ɖe eta.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive people go on and suffer because of it.
13 Xɔ avɔ le ame si da megbe na amedzro la si, tsɔe de awɔba me, ne eda megbe na nyɔnu ahasitɔ.
Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.
14 Ne ŋutsu aɖe le eƒe aƒelika yram kple ɣli le ŋdi kanya la, woatsɔe abe ɖiŋudodo ene.
Whoever gives his neighbor a blessing with a loud voice early in the morning, that blessing will be considered to be a curse!
15 Srɔ̃nyɔnu dzrewɔla le abe tsitrɔnu si le ɖuɖum madzudzɔmadzudzɔe le tsidzagbe ene.
A quarreling wife is like the constant dripping on a rainy day;
16 Asiɖoɖo edzi le abe asiɖoɖo ya dzi ene alo asitsɔtsɔ ku ami ene.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or trying to catch oil in your right hand.
17 Abe ale si ga nyrea ga ene la, nenema kee ame nyrea amee.
Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, a man sharpens 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.
The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and the one who protects his master will be honored.
19 Abe ale si ame ƒe mo dzena le tsi dzii ene la, nenema ame ƒe dzi ɖea eƒe nɔnɔme fianae.
Just as water reflects a person's face, so a person's heart reflects the person.
Just as Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, so a man's eyes 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.
A crucible is for silver and a furnace is for gold; and a person is tested when he is praised.
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.
Even if you crush a fool with the pestle—along with the grain— yet his foolishness will not leave him.
23 Ka ɖe edzi be wò alẽhawo ƒe nɔnɔme le nyanya na wò eye wò ŋku le wò lãhawo ŋu ɖaa;
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks and be concerned about your herds,
24 elabena kesinɔnuwo menɔa anyi ɖikaa o eye fiakuku hã menɔa anyi hena dzidzimewo katã o.
for wealth is not forever. Does a crown endure for all generations?
25 Ne woƒo gbe eye gbe mumu mie ɖe eteƒe, ne wolã gbe siwo le togbɛwo dzi ƒo ƒui la,
You should know when the hay is gone and the new growth appears, and the time when the grass from the hills is gathered in.
26 ekema alẽviawo ana avɔ wò eye gbɔ̃wo anye ga si nàtsɔ aƒle agblee.
Those lambs will provide your clothing and the goats will provide the price of the field.
27 Gbɔ̃notsi anɔ asiwò fũu be wò kple wò aƒemetɔwo miano eye wòanye nunyiame na wò dɔlanyɔnuwo.
There will be goats' milk for your food—the food for your household— and nourishment for your servant girls.
