Lododowo 3
1 Vinye, mègaŋlɔ nye nufiame be o, eye nàlé nye sededewo ɖe wò dzi me,
My son, do not forget what I have taught you. Keep my commands in your inner being,
2 elabena woadidi wò agbenɔƒewo ɖe edzi ƒe geɖe, eye woahe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ vɛ na wò.
because [if you obey them] you will live a long time and things will go well for you
3 Lɔlɔ̃ kple nuteƒewɔwɔ megate ɖa le gbɔwò gbeɖe o, tsɔ wo de kɔ eye nàŋlɔ wo ɖe wò dzi ƒe nuŋlɔkpe dzi.
Always faithfully love others and (be faithful/do what you say that you will do); doing those things [will cause others to be pleased with you]; it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace. Keep those things in your mind/inner being.
4 Ekema àkpɔ amenuveve kple ŋkɔ nyui le Mawu kple amewo ŋkume.
If you do, God and people will approve of you and think highly of you [MTY].
5 Ɖo ŋu ɖe Yehowa ŋu kple wò dzi blibo, mègaku ɖe wò ŋutɔ wò nugɔmesese ŋu o;
Trust in Yahweh completely, and do not rely on what you yourself understand.
6 ɖo ŋu ɖe eŋu le wò mɔwo katã dzi ekema awɔ wò toƒewo dzɔdzɔe.
Always allow him to lead you. If you do that, he will (show you the right path/direct your life).
7 Mèganye nunyala le wò ŋutɔ wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ vɔ̃ Yehowa eye nàtsri vɔ̃.
Do not be proud of being wise. [Instead], revere Yahweh and turn away from doing evil.
8 Esia ahe dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na wò ŋutilã kple nunyiame vɛ na wò ƒuwo.
If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong; it will be [like] medicine for you.
9 De bubu Yehowa ŋu kple wò kesinɔnuwo kple wò agblemenukuwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔwo,
Honor Yahweh by [what you do with] your money; and [by giving him] the first part of your harvest.
10 ekema wò avawo ayɔ agbagba, eye wain yeye ayɔ wò ahazewo agbagba.
If you do that, [you will have a good harvest]. Yahweh will fill your barns [with grain], and your vats/containers will be overflowing with [grape juice for making] wine.
11 Vinye, mègado vlo Yehowa ƒe amehehe o eye mègagbe eƒe mokaname o
My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it, and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.
12 elabena Yehowa ɖɔa ame siwo wòlɔ̃ la ɖo abe ale si fofo wɔna na vi si ƒe nu dzea eŋu la ene.
[I say that] because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves, [just] like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.
13 Woayra ame si ke ɖe nunya ŋu kple ame si si gɔmesese su
[Yahweh] is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.
14 elabena nunya xɔ asi wu klosalo eye viɖe geɖe le eme wu sika.
Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver, better than gold.
15 Asixɔxɔ le eŋu wu adzagba eye nu siwo katã dim nèle la, ɖeke mesɔ kplii o.
Being wise is more precious than (jewels/precious stones); there is nothing that you could desire [that would be as valuable] as wisdom.
16 Agbe didi le eƒe ɖusi ƒe asi me, eye kesinɔnuwo kple bubu le eƒe miasi ƒe asi me.
On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables [you] to live a long life, and on the other hand, wisdom enables [you] to become rich and to be honored.
17 Eƒe mɔwo nye mɔ siwo dzi vivi le eye ŋutifafa le eƒe toƒewo katã.
If [you] are wise, [your] life will be pleasant, and things will go well [for you].
18 Enye agbeti na ame siwo xɔ eya amea eye ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la woayra wo.
Wisdom is [like] a tree that gives long life to those who [eagerly] take hold of it, and [Yahweh] is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.
19 Nunyae Yehowa tsɔ ɖo anyigba la ƒe gɔmeɖokpe anyii eye wòtsɔ gɔmesese ɖo dziƒowo ɖe wo teƒe.
By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth, and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.
20 Etsɔ eƒe nunya ma gogloƒewoe eye lilikpowo dzaa zãmu.
By his knowledge [he caused] the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.
21 Vinye, lé afia nyui tsotso kple sidzedze me ɖe asi, mègana woadzo le ŋkuwòme o.
My son, [always] keep doing things that are right and things that are smart. If you do that,
22 Woanye agbe na wò kple kɔga aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò kɔ.
you will live [many years] and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.
23 Ekema àlé wò mɔ atsɔ le dedinɔnɔ me eye wò afɔ maɖiɖi o.
If you do what is right and wise, you will [be able to] walk safely, and you will not (stumble/do things that are wrong) [MET].
24 Ne èmlɔ anyi la, màvɔ̃ o, ne èmlɔ anyi la, àdɔ alɔ̃ vivi.
You will [be able to] lie down [at night] and not be afraid [of anything], and you will sleep peacefully.
25 Mègavɔ̃ ŋɔdzi si ava kpoyi alo gbegblẽ si vaa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo dzi o
You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,
26 elabena Yehowa anye wò dzideƒo eye mana wò afɔ naɖo mɔ me o.
because you will be confident that Yahweh [will take care of you]. He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.
27 Mègagbe nyuiwɔwɔ na ame siwo dze nɛ, ne ele wò ŋusẽ me be nàwɔe o.
If you are able to help people who deserve it, do not refuse to help them.
28 Mègagblɔ na wò aƒelika be, “Yi nàtrɔ va, etsɔ matsɔe na wò” esi wòle asiwò fifia o.
If you are able to help someone you interact with, do not say, “Come back later; [perhaps] I can help you tomorrow.”
29 Mègaɖo vɔ̃ ɖe wò aƒelika, ame si le gbɔwò le anukwareɖiɖi me la ŋu o.
Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly, [because] they live near you, and they trust you.
30 Mègatsɔ nya ɖe ame aɖeke ŋu dzodzro esi mewɔ vɔ̃ aɖeke ɖe ŋuwò o.
If someone has not harmed you, do not accuse him [by saying that he has harmed you].
31 Mègabiã ŋu ŋutsu nu sesẽ wɔla alo azɔ le eƒe mɔ aɖeke dzi o,
Do not envy people who [obtain things by] violent actions, and do not imitate/do what they do.
32 elabena Yehowa nyɔa ŋu ŋutsu nu tovo wɔla gake elɔ̃a ame siwo wɔa nu dzɔdzɔe.
[I say that] because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable; but he is a friend to [all] those who do what is right.
33 Yehowa ƒe fiƒode le ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe dzi, ke eyrana ɖe ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe aƒe dzi.
Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked, but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.
34 Yehowa ɖua fewu le dadala fewuɖulawo ŋu, ke evea ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokui la nu.
Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun [of others], but he kindly helps those who are humble.
35 Nunyalawo nyia bubu ƒe dome, ke bometsilawo la, etsɔa wo dea asi na ŋukpe.
Wise [people] will be honored {people will honor wise people}, but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.
