Lododowo 4
1 Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
2 Nusɔsrɔ̃ deto mele mia nam eya ta migagbe nye nufiafia o.
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
3 Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
For I was a son to my father, tender and an 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 your heart retain 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. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6 Mègagbe nu le nunya gbɔ o ekema adzɔ ŋuwò, lɔ̃e ekema akpɔ tawò.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep 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. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you embrace her.
9 Atsɔ amenuveve aɖɔ na wò ta abe seƒoƒotsihe ene eye wòatsɔ atsyɔ̃fiakuku aɖɔ na wò.”
She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”
10 Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11 Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12 Ne èle zɔzɔm la, naneke maxe mɔ na wò afɔɖeɖewo o eye ne èsi du la, màkli nu o.
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. 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.
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Mègaka afɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe toƒewo alo nàzɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ dzi o.
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk 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, and don’t pass 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 don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless 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.
But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until 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 like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
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. Turn your 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 your eyes. Keep them in the centre of 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 their whole body.
23 Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27 Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
