Lododowo 6
1 Vinye, ne ède megbe na wò aƒelika, eye nèsi akpe tsɔ do ŋugbee na ame tutɔ,
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
2 ne ŋugbe si nèdo zu mɔ me nèɖo eye wò numenyawo bla wò la,
if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 ekema vinye, wɔ esia ne nàtsɔ aɖe ɖokuiwòe, esi nège ɖe hawòvi ƒe asi me ta. Yi nàbɔbɔ ɖokuiwò, ɖe kuku na hawòvi la amenubletɔe!
then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
4 Wò ŋkuwo megadɔ alɔ̃ o eye wò aɖaba megadɔ akɔlɔ̃e o.
Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
5 Ɖe ɖokuiwò le eƒe asi me abe ale si sãde sina le adela ƒe asi me ene alo abe ale si xevi dona le xevimɔtrela ƒe kamɔ mee ene.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Wò, kuviatɔ, yi anyidi gbɔ; kpɔ eƒe mɔwo ɖa, eye nàdze nunya!
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
7 Gbeɖela loo dzikpɔla alo dziɖula aɖeke mele esi o,
Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
8 gake le dzomeŋɔli la eƒoa eƒe nuhiahiãwo nu ƒu eye wòƒoa eƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le nuŋeɣi.
it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
9 Wò, kuviatɔ va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi nàmlɔ afi ma? Ɣe ka ɣi nànyɔ tso alɔ̃ me?
How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 Dɔ alɔ̃ vie, dɔ akɔlɔ̃e sẽe, ŋlɔ wò abɔwo nàdzudzɔ vie,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 tete ahedada aƒo ɖe dziwò abe adzodala ene eye hiã abe aʋakalẽtɔ si bla akpa ene.
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
12 Yakame kple ame baɖa si le yiyim kple alakpadada,
A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
13 le ŋku tem, tsɔ afɔ le dzesi fiam eye wòtsɔ eƒe asi le nya gblɔmii,
winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14 ame si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖi, beble le eƒe dzi me, eye ɣe sia ɣi wòdea dzre aƒe la
With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15 eya ta gbegblẽ aƒo ɖe edzi kpoyi eye woatsrɔ̃ eya amea zi ɖeka, naneke maɖee le eme o.
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
16 Nu adree Yehowa tsri, eye nu adree nye nu siwo wònyɔa ŋui:
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
17 dadaŋkuwo, alakpaɖe, asi siwo kɔa ʋu maɖifɔ ɖi,
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 dzi si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖiwo, afɔ siwo ɖea abla ɖe vɔ̃wɔwɔ ŋuti
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 aʋatsoɖaseɖila si kɔa alakpa ɖi, kple ŋutsu si dea dzre nɔviwo dome.
a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
20 Vinye, lé fofowò ƒe sededewo me ɖe asi eye mègagblẽ dawò ƒe nufiame ɖi o.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bla wo ɖe wò dzi ŋuti tegbee eye nàsae ɖe wò kɔ ŋuti.
Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
22 Ne èle zɔzɔm la, woafia mɔ wò, ne èle alɔ̃ dɔm la, woadzɔ ŋuwò eye ne ènyɔ la, woaƒo nu na wò
When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 elabena sedede siawo nye akaɖi, nufiafia sia nye kekeli eye ɖɔɖɔɖo si amehehe hena vɛ la nye agbe ƒe mɔ,
For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
24 esi aɖe wò tso nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe asi me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzego la ƒe aɖe ŋanɛ ƒe asi me.
to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 Eƒe tugbedzedze megana eƒe nu nadzro wò le wò dzi me alo nàna eƒe ŋku mawo nalé wò o,
Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 elabena gbolo aɖi gbɔ̃ wò, nànɔ abe abolo ko ene eye nyɔnu ahasitɔ aɖe agbe le mewò.
For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe aɖe dzo ɖe atata eye eƒe awuwo nagbe fiafia?
Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
28 Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe azɔ le dzoka xɔxɔ dzi eye eƒe afɔwo nagbe fiafia?
Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
29 Nenemae wòanɔ na ŋutsu si dɔna kple ŋutsu bubu srɔ̃, womagbe tohehe na ame si ka asi eŋuti o.
So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Womedoa vlo fiafitɔ ne efi fi be wòatsɔ atsi eƒe dɔwuame nu, ne dɔ la ewum o
Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
31 gake ne wolée la, ele nɛ be wòaɖo nua teƒe zi adre, esia ana eƒe kesinɔnu siwo katã le esi le eƒe aƒe me la navɔ le esi.
Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
32 Ke ame si wɔ ahasi kple srɔ̃tɔ la mebua ta me o eye ame si wɔnɛ la gblẽa eɖokui dome.
He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Ƒoƒo kple kɔ kple vlododo nye etɔ gome eye womaɖe eƒe ŋukpe ɖa akpɔ gbeɖe o
Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
34 elabena ŋuʋaʋã ana srɔ̃ŋutsu ƒe dɔmedzoe nafla eye ne ele hlɔ̃ biam la, makpɔ nublanui o.
For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
35 Maxɔ avulénu aɖeke o, eye maxɔ zãnu aɖeke hã o, aleke gbegbee wòloloe hã.
He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
