Lododowo 5
1 Vinye, lé to ɖe nye nunya ŋu eye nàƒu to anyi nyuie ɖe nye sidzedze ƒe nyawo ŋu,
My son, to my wisdom, attend, and, to mine understanding, incline thou thine ear:
2 be nànya nu si nàwɔ eye wò nuyiwo adzra gɔmesese ɖo
That thou mayest preserve discretion, —and, as for knowledge, that thy lips may guard it.
3 elabena nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe nuyiwo le anyitsi tsyɔm, eye eƒe numenyawo zrɔ̃ wu ami
For, with sweet droppings, drip the lips of her that is a stranger, and, smoother than oil, is her mouth;
4 gake le nuwuwu la evena wu veve eye wòɖana wu yi nuevee.
But, the latter end of her, is bitter as wormwood, sharp, as a two-edged sword!
Her feet, are going down to death, —on hades, will her steps take firm hold. (Sheol h7585)
6 Mebua ta me le ale si wòanɔ agbee ŋu kura o, eƒe toƒewo glɔ̃ gake menyae o
Lest, the path of life, she should ponder, her tracks have wandered she knoweth not [whither].
7 eya ta azɔ la, vinyewo, miɖo tom, migaƒo asa na nu si megblɔ na mi o.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
8 Miaƒe toƒewo nete ɖa xaa tso egbɔ, migagogo eƒe aƒe ƒe agbonu o,
Keep far from her thy way, and do not go near the opening 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 thou give, to other men, thy vigour, and thy years, to him that is cruel:
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 strange men, be well fed, by thy strength, and, thy toils, be in the house of the alien.
11 Le wò agbe ƒe nuwuwu la, ànɔ ŋeŋem, ne wò ŋutilã kple wò ameti blibo la vɔ le eme.
So shalt thou grieve in thy latter end, in the failing of thy flesh and of thy healthy condition;
12 Àgblɔ be, “Metsri amehehe kɔkɔkɔ! Eye nye dzi do vlo ɖɔɖɔɖo!
And thou shalt say—How I hated correction! and, reproof, my heart disdained;
13 Nyemaɖo to nye nufialawo alo aƒu to anyi ɖe nye amegãwo ŋu o.
Neither hearkened I to the voice of my teachers, nor, to my instructors, inclined I mine ear:
14 Esusɔ vie donyeme nagblẽ keŋkeŋ le ameha la katã dome.”
Soon was I in all evil, in the midst of convocation and assembly.
15 No tsi tso wò ŋutɔ wò tsiʋe me kple tsi dzidzi tso wò ŋutɔ wò vudo me.
Drink thou water out of thine own cistern, and flowing streams out of the midst of thine own well.
16 Ɖe wòle be wò tsitsetsewo nagbagba ɖe mɔtatawo dzi kple wò tsi sisi ɖe du ƒe ablɔwo mea?
Let not thy fountains, flow over, abroad, in the streets, dividings of waters:
17 Wonenye wò ɖeka ko tɔ, mègamae kple ame tutɔwo gbeɖe o.
Let them be for thyself, alone, and not for strangers with thee.
18 Woayra wò vudo eye nàkpɔ dzidzɔ ɖe wò ɖekakpuimesrɔ̃ ŋu.
Let thy well-spring be blessed, —and get thy joy from the wife of thy 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.
A loving hind! a graceful doe! let, her bosom, content thee at all times, and, in her love, mayst thou stray evermore.
20 Vinye, nu ka ŋuti nàƒo kpakpakpa ɖe nyɔnu ahasitɔ ŋu? Nu ka ŋuti nàlé alime na ame bubu srɔ̃?
Wherefore, then, shouldst thou stray, my son, with a strange woman? or embrace the bosom of a woman unknown?
21 Elabena ame sia ame ƒe mɔ le ƒuƒlu le Yehowa ŋkume eye wòdoa woƒe mɔwo katã kpɔ.
For, before the eyes of Yahweh, are the ways of a man, —and, all his tracks, doth he consider:
22 Ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe nu vɔ̃ɖi siwo wòwɔna la zua mɔ ɖenɛ, eye eƒe nu vɔ̃ zua ka blanɛ sesĩe.
His own iniquities, shall entrap him with the lawless, and, by the cords of his own sin, shall he be seized.
23 Aku le ɖokuidzimaɖumaɖu ta eye eƒe bometsitsi gã la akplɔe atrae.
He, shall die, for lack of discipline, and, by the abounding of his perversity, shall he be lost.
