Lododowo 5
1 Vinye, lé to ɖe nye nunya ŋu eye nàƒu to anyi nyuie ɖe nye sidzedze ƒe nyawo ŋu,
[My] son, attend to my wisdom, and apply your ear to my words;
2 be nànya nu si nàwɔ eye wò nuyiwo adzra gɔmesese ɖo
that you may keep good understanding, and the discretion of my lips gives you a charge. Give no heed to a worthless woman;
3 elabena nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe nuyiwo le anyitsi tsyɔm, eye eƒe numenyawo zrɔ̃ wu ami
for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases your palate:
4 gake le nuwuwu la evena wu veve eye wòɖana wu yi nuevee.
but afterwards you will find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.
For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established. (Sheol h7585)
6 Mebua ta me le ale si wòanɔ agbee ŋu kura o, eƒe toƒewo glɔ̃ gake menyae o
For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known.
7 eya ta azɔ la, vinyewo, miɖo tom, migaƒo asa na nu si megblɔ na mi o.
Now then, [my] son, hear me, and make not my words of none effect.
8 Miaƒe toƒewo nete ɖa xaa tso egbɔ, migagogo eƒe aƒe ƒe agbonu o,
Remove your way far from her; draw not near to the doors of her house:
9 ne menye nenema o la, miava gblẽ miaƒe ɖekakpuime ƒe ŋusẽ ɖe ame bubuwo ŋu kple miaƒe ƒewo ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi ŋu.
lest you give away your life to others, and your substance to the merciless:
10 Ne menye nenema o la, amedzrowo anye avuzi le miaƒe kesinɔnuwo dzi eye nu si nète fifia kpɔ la aɖo atsyɔ̃ na ame bubu ƒe aƒe me.
lest strangers be filled with your strength, and your labors come into the houses of strangers;
11 Le wò agbe ƒe nuwuwu la, ànɔ ŋeŋem, ne wò ŋutilã kple wò ameti blibo la vɔ le eme.
And you repent at last, when the flesh of your body is consumed,
12 Àgblɔ be, “Metsri amehehe kɔkɔkɔ! Eye nye dzi do vlo ɖɔɖɔɖo!
and you shall say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart avoided reproofs!
13 Nyemaɖo to nye nufialawo alo aƒu to anyi ɖe nye amegãwo ŋu o.
I heard not the voice of him that instructed me, and taught me, neither did I apply mine ear.
14 Esusɔ vie donyeme nagblẽ keŋkeŋ le ameha la katã dome.”
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 No tsi tso wò ŋutɔ wò tsiʋe me kple tsi dzidzi tso wò ŋutɔ wò vudo me.
Drink waters out of your own vessels, and out of your own springing wells.
16 Ɖe wòle be wò tsitsetsewo nagbagba ɖe mɔtatawo dzi kple wò tsi sisi ɖe du ƒe ablɔwo mea?
Let not waters out of your fountain be spilt by you, but let your waters go into your streets.
17 Wonenye wò ɖeka ko tɔ, mègamae kple ame tutɔwo gbeɖe o.
Let them be only your own, and let no stranger partake with you.
18 Woayra wò vudo eye nàkpɔ dzidzɔ ɖe wò ɖekakpuimesrɔ̃ ŋu.
Let your fountain of water be [truly] your own; and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
19 Eyae nye zinɔ lɔlɔ̃a kple sãde dzeani la, eƒe nowo neɖi kɔ na wò ɣe sia ɣi, eye eƒe lɔlɔ̃ nede dzo mewò ɖaa.
Let [your] loving hart and your graceful colt company with you, and let her be considered your own, and be with you at all times; for ravished with her love you shall be greatly increased.
20 Vinye, nu ka ŋuti nàƒo kpakpakpa ɖe nyɔnu ahasitɔ ŋu? Nu ka ŋuti nàlé alime na ame bubu srɔ̃?
Be not intimate with a strange woman, neither fold yourself in the arms of a woman not your own.
21 Elabena ame sia ame ƒe mɔ le ƒuƒlu le Yehowa ŋkume eye wòdoa woƒe mɔwo katã kpɔ.
For the ways of a man are before the eyes of God, and he looks on all his paths.
22 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe nu vɔ̃ɖi siwo wòwɔna la zua mɔ ɖenɛ, eye eƒe nu vɔ̃ zua ka blanɛ sesĩe.
Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins.
23 Aku le ɖokuidzimaɖumaɖu ta eye eƒe bometsitsi gã la akplɔe atrae.
Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly.
