Lododowo 4
1 Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 Nusɔsrɔ̃ deto mele mia nam eya ta migagbe nye nufiafia o.
For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3 Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4 efia num hegblɔ be, “Ku ɖe nye nyawo ŋu kple wò dzi katã, lé nye sededewo me ɖe asi ekema ànɔ agbe.
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Dze nunya, di gɔmesese, mègaŋlɔ nye nyawo be alo aƒo asa na wo o.
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6 Mègagbe nu le nunya gbɔ o ekema adzɔ ŋuwò, lɔ̃e ekema akpɔ tawò.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 Nunya ƒo nuwo katã ta eya ta dze nunya. Togbɔ be wò nunɔamesiwo katã nàtsɔ aƒlee hã la, di gɔmesese.
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8 De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 Atsɔ amenuveve aɖɔ na wò ta abe seƒoƒotsihe ene eye wòatsɔ atsyɔ̃fiakuku aɖɔ na wò.”
She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11 Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12 Ne èle zɔzɔm la, naneke maxe mɔ na wò afɔɖeɖewo o eye ne èsi du la, màkli nu o.
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Lé nufiame ɖe asi, mègana wòado le asiwò o; dzɔ eŋuti nyuie elabena eyae nye agbe na wò.
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Mègaka afɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe toƒewo alo nàzɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ dzi o.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Ƒo asa na woƒe mɔwo, mègazɔ wo dzi o, lé wò mɔ tsɔ nàyi afi si yim nèle
Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16 elabena ne womewɔ nu vɔ̃ɖi o kpaa, womedɔa alɔ̃ o eye womedɔa akɔlɔ̃e teti hã o va se ɖe esime woana ame aɖe nadze anyi.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
17 Woɖua vɔ̃ɖinyenye ƒe abolo eye wonoa nu sesẽ wɔwɔ ƒe wain.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 Ke ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe toƒe le abe ŋdi kanya ƒe ɣetotoe ene, eklẽna, gaklẽna ɖe edzi ne ŋu ɖe le eme nyuie.
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 Ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ le abe viviti tsiɖitsiɖi ene eye womenya nu si na wole nu klim o.
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 Vinye, lé to ɖe nye nyawo ŋu eye nàƒu to anyi ɖe nya si gblɔm mele la ŋu.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Mègana woadzo le wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ dzra wo ɖo ɖe wò dzi me,
Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 elabena wonye agbe na ame siwo ke ɖe wo ŋu kple dɔyɔyɔ na ame ƒe ŋutilã blibo la.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23 Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24 Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25 Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26 Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
27 Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
