Lododowo 4
1 Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend, that ye may learn understanding!
2 Nusɔsrɔ̃ deto mele mia nam eya ta migagbe nye nufiafia o.
For I give you good instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.
3 Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
For I was my father's son, A tender and only child 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.
He taught me, and said to 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, and depart not 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 guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.
7 Nunya ƒo nuwo katã ta eya ta dze nunya. Togbɔ be wò nunɔamesiwo katã nàtsɔ aƒlee hã la, di gɔmesese.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.
8 De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, 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 graceful wreath, A beautiful crown will she bestow upon thee.
10 Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
Hear, O my son! and receive my sayings! So shall the years of thy life be many.
11 Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have guided thee in the right path.
12 Ne èle zɔzɔm la, naneke maxe mɔ na wò afɔɖeɖewo o eye ne èsi du la, màkli nu o.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be confined; And, when 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 go 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 upon it, Turn from it, and go 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 sleep not, unless they have done mischief; Yea, their sleep is taken away, unless they have caused 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, Which groweth brighter and brighter 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 thick 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 to 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 to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy heart; For from it goeth forth life.
24 Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
Put away from thee a deceitful mouth, And remove far from thee perverse lips.
25 Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
Let thine eyes look straight forward, And thine eyelids be directed before thee.
26 Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
Give heed to the path of thy foot, And let all thy ways be steadfast.
27 Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
Turn not to the right hand or to the left; Remove thy foot from evil.
