Lododowo 4
1 Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
2 Nusɔsrɔ̃ deto mele mia nam eya ta migagbe nye nufiafia o.
I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
3 Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
When I was a son of my father, the tender and 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 to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
5 Dze nunya, di gɔmesese, mègaŋlɔ nye nyawo be alo aƒo asa na wo o.
Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
6 Mègagbe nu le nunya gbɔ o ekema adzɔ ŋuwò, lɔ̃e ekema akpɔ tawò.
do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
7 Nunya ƒo nuwo katã ta eya ta dze nunya. Togbɔ be wò nunɔamesiwo katã nàtsɔ aƒlee hã la, di gɔmesese.
Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
8 De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
9 Atsɔ amenuveve aɖɔ na wò ta abe seƒoƒotsihe ene eye wòatsɔ atsyɔ̃fiakuku aɖɔ na wò.”
She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
10 Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
11 Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down 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, no one will stand in your way and if 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 it 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 follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
15 Ƒo asa na woƒe mɔwo, mègazɔ wo dzi o, lé wò mɔ tsɔ nàyi afi si yim nèle
Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
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 until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
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 righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
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 like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
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 let them turn away from your eyes; 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 my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
23 Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
25 Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
26 Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
27 Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
