Lododowo 3
1 Vinye, mègaŋlɔ nye nufiame be o, eye nàlé nye sededewo ɖe wò dzi me,
My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.
2 elabena woadidi wò agbenɔƒewo ɖe edzi ƒe geɖe, eye woahe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ vɛ na wò.
For they shall set before you length of days, and years of life, and peace.
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 abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart.
4 Ekema àkpɔ amenuveve kple ŋkɔ nyui le Mawu kple amewo ŋkume.
And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.
5 Ɖo ŋu ɖe Yehowa ŋu kple wò dzi blibo, mègaku ɖe wò ŋutɔ wò nugɔmesese ŋu o;
Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.
6 ɖo ŋu ɖe eŋu le wò mɔwo katã dzi ekema awɔ wò toƒewo dzɔdzɔe.
In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.
7 Mèganye nunyala le wò ŋutɔ wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ vɔ̃ Yehowa eye nàtsri vɔ̃.
Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.
8 Esia ahe dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na wò ŋutilã kple nunyiame vɛ na wò ƒuwo.
Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.
9 De bubu Yehowa ŋu kple wò kesinɔnuwo kple wò agblemenukuwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔwo,
Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,
10 ekema wò avawo ayɔ agbagba, eye wain yeye ayɔ wò ahazewo agbagba.
and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.
11 Vinye, mègado vlo Yehowa ƒe amehehe o eye mègagbe eƒe mokaname o
My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by 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 whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.
13 Woayra ame si ke ɖe nunya ŋu kple ame si si gɔmesese su
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence.
14 elabena nunya xɔ asi wu klosalo eye viɖe geɖe le eme wu sika.
Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.
15 Asixɔxɔ le eŋu wu adzagba eye nu siwo katã dim nèle la, ɖeke mesɔ kplii o.
She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her.
16 Agbe didi le eƒe ɖusi ƒe asi me, eye kesinɔnuwo kple bubu le eƒe miasi ƒe asi me.
Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory.
17 Eƒe mɔwo nye mɔ siwo dzi vivi le eye ŋutifafa le eƒe toƒewo katã.
Her ways are beautiful 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 those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed.
19 Nunyae Yehowa tsɔ ɖo anyigba la ƒe gɔmeɖokpe anyii eye wòtsɔ gɔmesese ɖo dziƒowo ɖe wo teƒe.
The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.
20 Etsɔ eƒe nunya ma gogloƒewoe eye lilikpowo dzaa zãmu.
By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.
21 Vinye, lé afia nyui tsotso kple sidzedze me ɖe asi, mègana woadzo le ŋkuwòme o.
My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.
22 Woanye agbe na wò kple kɔga aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò kɔ.
And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.
23 Ekema àlé wò mɔ atsɔ le dedinɔnɔ me eye wò afɔ maɖiɖi o.
Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.
24 Ne èmlɔ anyi la, màvɔ̃ o, ne èmlɔ anyi la, àdɔ alɔ̃ vivi.
When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.
25 Mègavɔ̃ ŋɔdzi si ava kpoyi alo gbegblẽ si vaa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo dzi o
Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.
26 elabena Yehowa anye wò dzideƒo eye mana wò afɔ naɖo mɔ me o.
For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.
27 Mègagbe nyuiwɔwɔ na ame siwo dze nɛ, ne ele wò ŋusẽ me be nàwɔe o.
Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.
28 Mègagblɔ na wò aƒelika be, “Yi nàtrɔ va, etsɔ matsɔe na wò” esi wòle asiwò fifia o.
Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.
29 Mègaɖo vɔ̃ ɖe wò aƒelika, ame si le gbɔwò le anukwareɖiɖi me la ŋu o.
Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.
30 Mègatsɔ nya ɖe ame aɖeke ŋu dzodzro esi mewɔ vɔ̃ aɖeke ɖe ŋuwò o.
Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.
31 Mègabiã ŋu ŋutsu nu sesẽ wɔla alo azɔ le eƒe mɔ aɖeke dzi o,
Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways.
32 elabena Yehowa nyɔa ŋu ŋutsu nu tovo wɔla gake elɔ̃a ame siwo wɔa nu dzɔdzɔe.
For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.
33 Yehowa ƒe fiƒode le ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe dzi, ke eyrana ɖe ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe aƒe dzi.
Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 Yehowa ɖua fewu le dadala fewuɖulawo ŋu, ke evea ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokui la nu.
He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.
35 Nunyalawo nyia bubu ƒe dome, ke bometsilawo la, etsɔa wo dea asi na ŋukpe.
The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.
