Lododowo 4
1 Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Nusɔsrɔ̃ deto mele mia nam eya ta migagbe nye nufiafia o.
For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
3 Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight 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.
who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
5 Dze nunya, di gɔmesese, mègaŋlɔ nye nyawo be alo aƒo asa na wo o.
and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
6 Mègagbe nu le nunya gbɔ o ekema adzɔ ŋuwò, lɔ̃e ekema akpɔ tawò.
And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
7 Nunya ƒo nuwo katã ta eya ta dze nunya. Togbɔ be wò nunɔamesiwo katã nàtsɔ aƒlee hã la, di gɔmesese.
8 De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honour it, that it may embrace you;
9 Atsɔ amenuveve aɖɔ na wò ta abe seƒoƒotsihe ene eye wòatsɔ atsyɔ̃fiakuku aɖɔ na wò.”
that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
10 Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
11 Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
12 Ne èle zɔzɔm la, naneke maxe mɔ na wò afɔɖeɖewo o eye ne èsi du la, màkli nu o.
For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
13 Lé nufiame ɖe asi, mègana wòado le asiwò o; dzɔ eŋuti nyuie elabena eyae nye agbe na wò.
Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
14 Mègaka afɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe toƒewo alo nàzɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ dzi o.
Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
15 Ƒo asa na woƒe mɔwo, mègazɔ wo dzi o, lé wò mɔ tsɔ nàyi afi si yim nèle
In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
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 can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
17 Woɖua vɔ̃ɖinyenye ƒe abolo eye wonoa nu sesẽ wɔwɔ ƒe wain.
For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
18 Ke ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe toƒe le abe ŋdi kanya ƒe ɣetotoe ene, eklẽna, gaklẽna ɖe edzi ne ŋu ɖe le eme nyuie.
But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
19 Ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ le abe viviti tsiɖitsiɖi ene eye womenya nu si na wole nu klim o.
But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
20 Vinye, lé to ɖe nye nyawo ŋu eye nàƒu to anyi ɖe nya si gblɔm mele la ŋu.
[My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
21 Mègana woadzo le wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ dzra wo ɖo ɖe wò dzi me,
that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [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 that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
23 Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
24 Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
25 Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
26 Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
27 Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
