Lododowo 4
1 Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
Hear, ye 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 good doctrine; forsake ye not my teaching.
3 Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one 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.
And he taught me, and said unto me: 'Let thy heart hold fast my words, keep my commandments, and live;
5 Dze nunya, di gɔmesese, mègaŋlɔ nye nyawo be alo aƒo asa na wo o.
Get wisdom, get understanding; forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6 Mègagbe nu le nunya gbɔ o ekema adzɔ ŋuwò, lɔ̃e ekema akpɔ tawò.
Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; love her, and she will keep thee.
7 Nunya ƒo nuwo katã ta eya ta dze nunya. Togbɔ be wò nunɔamesiwo katã nàtsɔ aƒlee hã la, di gɔmesese.
The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom; yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
8 De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
Extol her, and she will exalt thee; she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Atsɔ amenuveve aɖɔ na wò ta abe seƒoƒotsihe ene eye wòatsɔ atsyɔ̃fiakuku aɖɔ na wò.”
She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow on thee.'
10 Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in paths of uprightness.
12 Ne èle zɔzɔm la, naneke maxe mɔ na wò afɔɖeɖewo o eye ne èsi du la, màkli nu o.
When thou goest, thy step shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Lé nufiame ɖe asi, mègana wòado le asiwò o; dzɔ eŋuti nyuie elabena eyae nye agbe na wò.
Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go; keep her, for she is thy life.
14 Mègaka afɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe toƒewo alo nàzɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ dzi o.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men.
15 Ƒo asa na woƒe mɔwo, mègazɔ wo dzi o, lé wò mɔ tsɔ nàyi afi si yim nèle
Avoid it, pass not by it; turn from it, and pass on.
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 sleep not, except they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to 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.
But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 Ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ le abe viviti tsiɖitsiɖi ene eye womenya nu si na wole nu klim o.
The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what 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 words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Mègana woadzo le wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ dzra wo ɖo ɖe wò dzi me,
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thy heart.
22 elabena wonye agbe na ame siwo ke ɖe wo ŋu kple dɔyɔyɔ na ame ƒe ŋutilã blibo la.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
Above all that thou guardest keep thy heart; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
25 Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil.
