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 your 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 you.
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 you; but bind them about your neck:
4 Ekema àkpɔ amenuveve kple ŋkɔ nyui le Mawu kple amewo ŋkume.
so shall you find favour: and do you 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 your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.
6 ɖo ŋu ɖe eŋu le wò mɔwo katã dzi ekema awɔ wò toƒewo dzɔdzɔe.
In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.
7 Mèganye nunyala le wò ŋutɔ wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ vɔ̃ Yehowa eye nàtsri vɔ̃.
Be not wise in your 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 your body, and good keeping to your bones.
9 De bubu Yehowa ŋu kple wò kesinɔnuwo kple wò agblemenukuwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔwo,
Honour the Lord with your just labours, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:
10 ekema wò avawo ayɔ agbagba, eye wain yeye ayɔ wò ahazewo agbagba.
that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your 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 you are 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 [you], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 Woanye agbe na wò kple kɔga aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò kɔ.
that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:
23 Ekema àlé wò mɔ atsɔ le dedinɔnɔ me eye wò afɔ maɖiɖi o.
that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.
24 Ne èmlɔ anyi la, màvɔ̃ o, ne èmlɔ anyi la, àdɔ alɔ̃ vivi.
For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.
25 Mègavɔ̃ ŋɔdzi si ava kpoyi alo gbegblẽ si vaa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo dzi o
And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, 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 your ways, and shall establish your foot that you 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, whenever your 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 you are able to do [him] good: for you know 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 your friend, living near you and trusting in you.
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 you 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 you 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 amongst 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.
