Lododowo 3
1 Vinye, mègaŋlɔ nye nufiame be o, eye nàlé nye sededewo ɖe wò dzi me,
[My] son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:
2 elabena woadidi wò agbenɔƒewo ɖe edzi ƒe geɖe, eye woahe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ vɛ na wò.
for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ megate ɖa le gbɔwò gbeɖe o, tsɔ wo de kɔ eye nàŋlɔ wo ɖe wò dzi ƒe nuŋlɔkpe dzi.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:
4 Ekema àkpɔ amenuveve kple ŋkɔ nyui le Mawu kple amewo ŋkume.
so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
5 Ɖo ŋu ɖe Yehowa ŋu kple wò dzi blibo, mègaku ɖe wò ŋutɔ wò nugɔmesese ŋu o;
Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.
6 ɖo ŋu ɖe eŋu le wò mɔwo katã dzi ekema awɔ wò toƒewo dzɔdzɔe.
In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
7 Mèganye nunyala le wò ŋutɔ wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ vɔ̃ Yehowa eye nàtsri vɔ̃.
Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
8 Esia ahe dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na wò ŋutilã kple nunyiame vɛ na wò ƒuwo.
Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
9 De bubu Yehowa ŋu kple wò kesinɔnuwo kple wò agblemenukuwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔwo,
Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:
10 ekema wò avawo ayɔ agbagba, eye wain yeye ayɔ wò ahazewo agbagba.
that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
11 Vinye, mègado vlo Yehowa ƒe amehehe o eye mègagbe eƒe mokaname o
[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
12 elabena Yehowa ɖɔa ame siwo wòlɔ̃ la ɖo abe ale si fofo wɔna na vi si ƒe nu dzea eŋu la ene.
for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
13 Woayra ame si ke ɖe nunya ŋu kple ame si si gɔmesese su
Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
14 elabena nunya xɔ asi wu klosalo eye viɖe geɖe le eme wu sika.
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
15 Asixɔxɔ le eŋu wu adzagba eye nu siwo katã dim nèle la, ɖeke mesɔ kplii o.
And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
16 Agbe didi le eƒe ɖusi ƒe asi me, eye kesinɔnuwo kple bubu le eƒe miasi ƒe asi me.
For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
17 Eƒe mɔwo nye mɔ siwo dzi vivi le eye ŋutifafa le eƒe toƒewo katã.
Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 Enye agbeti na ame siwo xɔ eya amea eye ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la woayra wo.
She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
19 Nunyae Yehowa tsɔ ɖo anyigba la ƒe gɔmeɖokpe anyii eye wòtsɔ gɔmesese ɖo dziƒowo ɖe wo teƒe.
God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20 Etsɔ eƒe nunya ma gogloƒewoe eye lilikpowo dzaa zãmu.
By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
21 Vinye, lé afia nyui tsotso kple sidzedze me ɖe asi, mègana woadzo le ŋkuwòme o.
[My] son, let [them] not pass from [thee], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 Woanye agbe na wò kple kɔga aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò kɔ.
that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:
23 Ekema àlé wò mɔ atsɔ le dedinɔnɔ me eye wò afɔ maɖiɖi o.
that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.
24 Ne èmlɔ anyi la, màvɔ̃ o, ne èmlɔ anyi la, àdɔ alɔ̃ vivi.
For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.
25 Mègavɔ̃ ŋɔdzi si ava kpoyi alo gbegblẽ si vaa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo dzi o
And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26 elabena Yehowa anye wò dzideƒo eye mana wò afɔ naɖo mɔ me o.
For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
27 Mègagbe nyuiwɔwɔ na ame siwo dze nɛ, ne ele wò ŋusẽ me be nàwɔe o.
Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have [power] to help [him].
28 Mègagblɔ na wò aƒelika be, “Yi nàtrɔ va, etsɔ matsɔe na wò” esi wòle asiwò fifia o.
Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do [him] good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.
29 Mègaɖo vɔ̃ ɖe wò aƒelika, ame si le gbɔwò le anukwareɖiɖi me la ŋu o.
Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
30 Mègatsɔ nya ɖe ame aɖeke ŋu dzodzro esi mewɔ vɔ̃ aɖeke ɖe ŋuwò o.
Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
31 Mègabiã ŋu ŋutsu nu sesẽ wɔla alo azɔ le eƒe mɔ aɖeke dzi o,
Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.
32 elabena Yehowa nyɔa ŋu ŋutsu nu tovo wɔla gake elɔ̃a ame siwo wɔa nu dzɔdzɔe.
For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
33 Yehowa ƒe fiƒode le ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe dzi, ke eyrana ɖe ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe aƒe dzi.
The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34 Yehowa ɖua fewu le dadala fewuɖulawo ŋu, ke evea ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokui la nu.
The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
35 Nunyalawo nyia bubu ƒe dome, ke bometsilawo la, etsɔa wo dea asi na ŋukpe.
The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
