Lododowo 6
1 Vinye, ne ède megbe na wò aƒelika, eye nèsi akpe tsɔ do ŋugbee na ame tutɔ,
My son, if you set aside your money as a guarantee for your neighbor's loan, if you gave your promise for a loan of someone you do not know,
2 ne ŋugbe si nèdo zu mɔ me nèɖo eye wò numenyawo bla wò la,
then you have laid a trap for yourself by your promise and you have been caught 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!
When you are caught by your words, my son, do this and save yourself, since you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor; go and humble yourself and make your case before your neighbor.
4 Wò ŋkuwo megadɔ alɔ̃ o eye wò aɖaba megadɔ akɔlɔ̃e o.
Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no 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.
Save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Wò, kuviatɔ, yi anyidi gbɔ; kpɔ eƒe mɔwo ɖa, eye nàdze nunya!
Look at the ant, you lazy person, consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Gbeɖela loo dzikpɔla alo dziɖula aɖeke mele esi o,
It has no commander, officer, or ruler,
8 gake le dzomeŋɔli la eƒoa eƒe nuhiahiãwo nu ƒu eye wòƒoa eƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le nuŋeɣi.
yet it prepares its food in the summer and during the harvest it stores up what it will eat.
9 Wò, kuviatɔ va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi nàmlɔ afi ma? Ɣe ka ɣi nànyɔ tso alɔ̃ me?
How long will you sleep, you lazy person? When will you rise 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 your poverty will come like a robber and your needs like an armed soldier.
12 Yakame kple ame baɖa si le yiyim kple alakpadada,
A worthless person—a wicked man— lives by the crookedness of his speech,
13 le ŋku tem, tsɔ afɔ le dzesi fiam eye wòtsɔ eƒe asi le nya gblɔmii,
winking his eyes, making signals 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
He plots evil with deceit in his heart; he always stirs up discord.
15 eya ta gbegblẽ aƒo ɖe edzi kpoyi eye woatsrɔ̃ eya amea zi ɖeka, naneke maɖee le eme o.
Therefore his disaster will overtake him in an instant; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
16 Nu adree Yehowa tsri, eye nu adree nye nu siwo wònyɔa ŋui:
There are six things that Yahweh hates, seven that are disgusting to him.
17 dadaŋkuwo, alakpaɖe, asi siwo kɔa ʋu maɖifɔ ɖi,
The eyes of a proud person, a tongue that lies, hands that shed the blood of innocent people,
18 dzi si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖiwo, afɔ siwo ɖea abla ɖe vɔ̃wɔwɔ ŋuti
a heart that invents wicked schemes, feet that quickly run to do evil,
19 aʋatsoɖaseɖila si kɔa alakpa ɖi, kple ŋutsu si dea dzre nɔviwo dome.
a witness who breathes out lies and one who sows discord among brothers.
20 Vinye, lé fofowò ƒe sededewo me ɖe asi eye mègagblẽ dawò ƒe nufiame ɖi o.
My son, obey the command of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
21 Bla wo ɖe wò dzi ŋuti tegbee eye nàsae ɖe wò kɔ ŋuti.
Always bind them on your heart; tie them about 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 sleep, they will watch over you; and when you wake up, they will teach you.
23 elabena sedede siawo nye akaɖi, nufiafia sia nye kekeli eye ɖɔɖɔɖo si amehehe hena vɛ la nye agbe ƒe mɔ,
For the commands are a lamp, and the teaching is a light; the corrections that come by instruction 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.
It keeps you from the immoral woman, from the smooth words of an immoral woman.
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 after her beauty and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.
26 elabena gbolo aɖi gbɔ̃ wò, nànɔ abe abolo ko ene eye nyɔnu ahasitɔ aɖe agbe le mewò.
Sleeping with a prostitute can cost the price of a loaf of bread, but the wife of another may cost you your very life.
27 Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe aɖe dzo ɖe atata eye eƒe awuwo nagbe fiafia?
Can a man carry a fire against his chest without burning his clothes?
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 the man who sleeps with his neighbor's wife; the one who sleeps with her will not go unpunished.
30 Womedoa vlo fiafitɔ ne efi fi be wòatsɔ atsi eƒe dɔwuame nu, ne dɔ la ewum o
People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his need when he is hungry.
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 he is caught, he will pay back seven times what he stole; he must give up everything of value in his house.
32 Ke ame si wɔ ahasi kple srɔ̃tɔ la mebua ta me o eye ame si wɔnɛ la gblẽa eɖokui dome.
The one who commits adultery has no sense; the one who does it destroys himself.
33 Ƒoƒo kple kɔ kple vlododo nye etɔ gome eye womaɖe eƒe ŋukpe ɖa akpɔ gbeɖe o
Wounds and shame are what he deserves 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 jealousy makes a man furious; he will show no mercy when he takes his revenge.
35 Maxɔ avulénu aɖeke o, eye maxɔ zãnu aɖeke hã o, aleke gbegbee wòloloe hã.
He will accept no compensation and he cannot be bought off, though you offer him many gifts.
