Lododowo 3
1 Vinye, mègaŋlɔ nye nufiame be o, eye nàlé nye sededewo ɖe wò dzi me,
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
2 elabena woadidi wò agbenɔƒewo ɖe edzi ƒe geɖe, eye woahe dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ vɛ na wò.
For length of days and years, Life and peace they do 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 kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
4 Ekema àkpɔ amenuveve kple ŋkɔ nyui le Mawu kple amewo ŋkume.
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Ɖo ŋu ɖe Yehowa ŋu kple wò dzi blibo, mègaku ɖe wò ŋutɔ wò nugɔmesese ŋu o;
Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
6 ɖo ŋu ɖe eŋu le wò mɔwo katã dzi ekema awɔ wò toƒewo dzɔdzɔe.
In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
7 Mèganye nunyala le wò ŋutɔ wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ vɔ̃ Yehowa eye nàtsri vɔ̃.
Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
8 Esia ahe dɔyɔyɔ vɛ na wò ŋutilã kple nunyiame vɛ na wò ƒuwo.
Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
9 De bubu Yehowa ŋu kple wò kesinɔnuwo kple wò agblemenukuwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔwo,
Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
10 ekema wò avawo ayɔ agbagba, eye wain yeye ayɔ wò ahazewo agbagba.
And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
11 Vinye, mègado vlo Yehowa ƒe amehehe o eye mègagbe eƒe mokaname o
Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
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 Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 Woayra ame si ke ɖe nunya ŋu kple ame si si gɔmesese su
O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
14 elabena nunya xɔ asi wu klosalo eye viɖe geɖe le eme wu sika.
For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold — her increase.
15 Asixɔxɔ le eŋu wu adzagba eye nu siwo katã dim nèle la, ɖeke mesɔ kplii o.
Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable 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] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honour.
17 Eƒe mɔwo nye mɔ siwo dzi vivi le eye ŋutifafa le eƒe toƒewo katã.
Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.
18 Enye agbeti na ame siwo xɔ eya amea eye ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la woayra wo.
A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
19 Nunyae Yehowa tsɔ ɖo anyigba la ƒe gɔmeɖokpe anyii eye wòtsɔ gɔmesese ɖo dziƒowo ɖe wo teƒe.
Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 Etsɔ eƒe nunya ma gogloƒewoe eye lilikpowo dzaa zãmu.
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
21 Vinye, lé afia nyui tsotso kple sidzedze me ɖe asi, mègana woadzo le ŋkuwòme o.
My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 Woanye agbe na wò kple kɔga aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò kɔ.
And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Ekema àlé wò mɔ atsɔ le dedinɔnɔ me eye wò afɔ maɖiɖi o.
Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
24 Ne èmlɔ anyi la, màvɔ̃ o, ne èmlɔ anyi la, àdɔ alɔ̃ vivi.
If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
25 Mègavɔ̃ ŋɔdzi si ava kpoyi alo gbegblẽ si vaa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo dzi o
Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
26 elabena Yehowa anye wò dzideƒo eye mana wò afɔ naɖo mɔ me o.
For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
27 Mègagbe nyuiwɔwɔ na ame siwo dze nɛ, ne ele wò ŋusẽ me be nàwɔe o.
Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].
28 Mègagblɔ na wò aƒelika be, “Yi nàtrɔ va, etsɔ matsɔe na wò” esi wòle asiwò fifia o.
Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
29 Mègaɖo vɔ̃ ɖe wò aƒelika, ame si le gbɔwò le anukwareɖiɖi me la ŋu o.
Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
30 Mègatsɔ nya ɖe ame aɖeke ŋu dzodzro esi mewɔ vɔ̃ aɖeke ɖe ŋuwò o.
Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
31 Mègabiã ŋu ŋutsu nu sesẽ wɔla alo azɔ le eƒe mɔ aɖeke dzi o,
Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
32 elabena Yehowa nyɔa ŋu ŋutsu nu tovo wɔla gake elɔ̃a ame siwo wɔa nu dzɔdzɔe.
For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
33 Yehowa ƒe fiƒode le ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe aƒe dzi, ke eyrana ɖe ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe aƒe dzi.
The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
34 Yehowa ɖua fewu le dadala fewuɖulawo ŋu, ke evea ame siwo bɔbɔa wo ɖokui la nu.
If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
35 Nunyalawo nyia bubu ƒe dome, ke bometsilawo la, etsɔa wo dea asi na ŋukpe.
Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
