Lododowo 3
1 Vinye, mègaŋlɔ nye nufiame be o, eye nàlé nye sededewo ɖe wò dzi me,
My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
2 elabena woadidi wò agbenɔƒewo ɖe edzi ƒe geɖe, eye woahe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ vɛ na wò.
For they shall add to thee 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 leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
4 Ekema àkpɔ amenuveve kple ŋkɔ nyui le Mawu kple amewo ŋkume.
And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before 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 thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
6 ɖo ŋu ɖe eŋu le wò mɔwo katã dzi ekema awɔ wò toƒewo dzɔdzɔe.
In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
7 Mèganye nunyala le wò ŋutɔ wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ vɔ̃ Yehowa eye nàtsri vɔ̃.
I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
8 Esia ahe dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na wò ŋutilã kple nunyiame vɛ na wò ƒuwo.
For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
9 De bubu Yehowa ŋu kple wò kesinɔnuwo kple wò agblemenukuwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔwo,
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
10 ekema wò avawo ayɔ agbagba, eye wain yeye ayɔ wò ahazewo agbagba.
And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
11 Vinye, mègado vlo Yehowa ƒe amehehe o eye mègagbe eƒe mokaname o
My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised 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 whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
13 Woayra ame si ke ɖe nunya ŋu kple ame si si gɔmesese su
Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
14 elabena nunya xɔ asi wu klosalo eye viɖe geɖe le eme wu sika.
The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest 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 the things that are desired, are not to be compared with her.
16 Agbe didi le eƒe ɖusi ƒe asi me, eye kesinɔnuwo kple bubu le eƒe miasi ƒe asi me.
Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches 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 peaceable.
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 them that lay hold on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
19 Nunyae Yehowa tsɔ ɖo anyigba la ƒe gɔmeɖokpe anyii eye wòtsɔ gɔmesese ɖo dziƒowo ɖe wo teƒe.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
20 Etsɔ eƒe nunya ma gogloƒewoe eye lilikpowo dzaa zãmu.
By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
21 Vinye, lé afia nyui tsotso kple sidzedze me ɖe asi, mègana woadzo le ŋkuwòme o.
My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
22 Woanye agbe na wò kple kɔga aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò kɔ.
And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
23 Ekema àlé wò mɔ atsɔ le dedinɔnɔ me eye wò afɔ maɖiɖi o.
Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
24 Ne èmlɔ anyi la, màvɔ̃ o, ne èmlɔ anyi la, àdɔ alɔ̃ vivi.
If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Mègavɔ̃ ŋɔdzi si ava kpoyi alo gbegblẽ si vaa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo dzi o
Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
26 elabena Yehowa anye wò dzideƒo eye mana wò afɔ naɖo mɔ me o.
For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
27 Mègagbe nyuiwɔwɔ na ame siwo dze nɛ, ne ele wò ŋusẽ me be nàwɔe o.
Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
28 Mègagblɔ na wò aƒelika be, “Yi nàtrɔ va, etsɔ matsɔe na wò” esi wòle asiwò fifia o.
Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
29 Mègaɖo vɔ̃ ɖe wò aƒelika, ame si le gbɔwò le anukwareɖiɖi me la ŋu o.
Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
30 Mègatsɔ nya ɖe ame aɖeke ŋu dzodzro esi mewɔ vɔ̃ aɖeke ɖe ŋuwò o.
Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
31 Mègabiã ŋu ŋutsu nu sesẽ wɔla alo azɔ le eƒe mɔ aɖeke dzi o,
Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
32 elabena Yehowa nyɔa ŋu ŋutsu nu tovo wɔla gake elɔ̃a ame siwo wɔa nu dzɔdzɔe.
For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
33 Yehowa ƒe fiƒode le ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe dzi, ke eyrana ɖe ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe aƒe dzi.
Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: 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 shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
35 Nunyalawo nyia bubu ƒe dome, ke bometsilawo la, etsɔa wo dea asi na ŋukpe.
The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
