Lododowo 6
1 Vinye, ne ède megbe na wò aƒelika, eye nèsi akpe tsɔ do ŋugbee na ame tutɔ,
My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,
2 ne ŋugbe si nèdo zu mɔ me nèɖo eye wò numenyawo bla wò la,
then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.
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!
Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.
4 Wò ŋkuwo megadɔ alɔ̃ o eye wò aɖaba megadɔ akɔlɔ̃e o.
Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber.
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.
Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Wò, kuviatɔ, yi anyidi gbɔ; kpɔ eƒe mɔwo ɖa, eye nàdze nunya!
Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom.
7 Gbeɖela loo dzikpɔla alo dziɖula aɖeke mele esi o,
For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader,
8 gake le dzomeŋɔli la eƒoa eƒe nuhiahiãwo nu ƒu eye wòƒoa eƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le nuŋeɣi.
she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.
9 Wò, kuviatɔ va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi nàmlɔ afi ma? Ɣe ka ɣi nànyɔ tso alɔ̃ me?
How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep?
10 Dɔ alɔ̃ vie, dɔ akɔlɔ̃e sẽe, ŋlɔ wò abɔwo nàdzudzɔ vie,
You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep,
11 tete ahedada aƒo ɖe dziwò abe adzodala ene eye hiã abe aʋakalẽtɔ si bla akpa ene.
and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.
12 Yakame kple ame baɖa si le yiyim kple alakpadada,
An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth;
13 le ŋku tem, tsɔ afɔ le dzesi fiam eye wòtsɔ eƒe asi le nya gblɔmii,
he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger.
14 ame si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖi, beble le eƒe dzi me, eye ɣe sia ɣi wòdea dzre aƒe la
With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict.
15 eya ta gbegblẽ aƒo ɖe edzi kpoyi eye woatsrɔ̃ eya amea zi ɖeka, naneke maɖee le eme o.
To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy.
16 Nu adree Yehowa tsri, eye nu adree nye nu siwo wònyɔa ŋui:
Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests:
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 the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil,
19 aʋatsoɖaseɖila si kɔa alakpa ɖi, kple ŋutsu si dea dzre nɔviwo dome.
a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 Vinye, lé fofowò ƒe sededewo me ɖe asi eye mègagblẽ dawò ƒe nufiame ɖi o.
My son, preserve the precepts of your father, and do not dismiss the law of your mother.
21 Bla wo ɖe wò dzi ŋuti tegbee eye nàsae ɖe wò kɔ ŋuti.
Bind them to your heart unceasingly, and encircle them around your throat.
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, let them keep step with you. When you sleep, let them guard you. And when you keep watch, speak with them.
23 elabena sedede siawo nye akaɖi, nufiafia sia nye kekeli eye ɖɔɖɔɖo si amehehe hena vɛ la nye agbe ƒe mɔ,
For commandment is a lamp, and law is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life.
24 esi aɖe wò tso nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe asi me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzego la ƒe aɖe ŋanɛ ƒe asi me.
So may they guard you from an evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the outsider.
25 Eƒe tugbedzedze megana eƒe nu nadzro wò le wò dzi me alo nàna eƒe ŋku mawo nalé wò o,
Let not your heart desire her beauty; do not be captivated by her winks.
26 elabena gbolo aɖi gbɔ̃ wò, nànɔ abe abolo ko ene eye nyɔnu ahasitɔ aɖe agbe le mewò.
For the price of a prostitute is only one loaf. Yet the woman seizes the precious soul of a man.
27 Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe aɖe dzo ɖe atata eye eƒe awuwo nagbe fiafia?
Would a man be able to conceal fire in his bosom, so that his garments would not burn?
28 Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe azɔ le dzoka xɔxɔ dzi eye eƒe afɔwo nagbe fiafia?
Or could he walk over burning coals, so that his feet would not be burned?
29 Nenemae wòanɔ na ŋutsu si dɔna kple ŋutsu bubu srɔ̃, womagbe tohehe na ame si ka asi eŋuti o.
So also, he who enters to the wife of his neighbor shall not be clean when he touches her.
30 Womedoa vlo fiafitɔ ne efi fi be wòatsɔ atsi eƒe dɔwuame nu, ne dɔ la ewum o
Not so great is the fault when someone has stolen. For he steals so as to satisfy a hungry soul.
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.
Also, if he is apprehended, he shall repay sevenfold and hand over all the substance of his house.
32 Ke ame si wɔ ahasi kple srɔ̃tɔ la mebua ta me o eye ame si wɔnɛ la gblẽa eɖokui dome.
But whoever is an adulterer, because of the emptiness of his heart, will destroy his own soul.
33 Ƒoƒo kple kɔ kple vlododo nye etɔ gome eye womaɖe eƒe ŋukpe ɖa akpɔ gbeɖe o
He gathers shame and dishonor to himself, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 elabena ŋuʋaʋã ana srɔ̃ŋutsu ƒe dɔmedzoe nafla eye ne ele hlɔ̃ biam la, makpɔ nublanui o.
For the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare him on the day of vindication,
35 Maxɔ avulénu aɖeke o, eye maxɔ zãnu aɖeke hã o, aleke gbegbee wòloloe hã.
nor will he agree to the pleadings of anyone, nor will he accept, as repayment, a multitude of gifts.
