Lododowo 7
1 Vinye, lé nye nyawo me ɖe asi eye nàdzra nye sededewo ɖo ɖe mewò.
My son, observe my sayings, and my commandments must thou treasure up with thee.
2 Lé nye sededewo me ɖe asi ekema ànɔ agbe eye dzɔ nye nufiamewo ŋuti abe wò gadaglamakui ene.
Observe my commandments, and live: and my teaching as the apple of thy eyes.
3 Bla wo ɖe wò asibidɛwo ŋu eye nàŋlɔ wo ɖe wò dzi ƒe nuŋlɔkpe dzi.
Bind them around thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.
4 Gblɔ na nunya be, “Nɔvinye nyɔnu nènye.” Eye nàyɔ ƒometɔ na gɔmesese,
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5 woana nyɔnu ahasitɔ la nanɔ adzɔge na wò, eye woaɖe wò le srɔ̃nyɔnu dzego la ƒe amenublenyawo ƒe asi me.
That they may keep thee from an adulterous woman, from an alien that useth flattering speeches.
6 Mele nye xɔ ƒe fesrẽ nu, hekpɔ nu to fesrẽnuvɔ la me.
For through the window of my house, through my lattice did I [once] look out,
7 Mekpɔ ame aɖe le bebewuwo dome, mekpɔ ɖekakpui si tsi bome la le sɔhɛwo dome.
And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a lad void of sense;
8 Ele zɔzɔm le kpɔdome, ɖo ta dzogoe si me nyɔnu la le la me; ezɔ ɖo ta afi si nyɔnu la ƒe aƒe le,
He was passing through the market-place near her corner; and he stepped along on the way to her house,
9 le fiẽ me, esime anyigba nɔ tsyɔtsyɔm, eye zã do blukɔ.
In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the depth of the night and when it was dark:
10 Tete nyɔnu aɖe do go va kpee, edo awu abe gbolo ene eye ayedzedze le mo nɛ.
And, behold, a woman came to meet him with the attire of a harlot, and obdurate of heart.
11 Eƒe gbe le dzi dem, metsɔ ɖeke le eme na ame aɖeke o eye eƒe afɔwo gbe tɔtɔ ɖe aƒe me,
(She is noisy and ungovernable; in her house her feet never rest;
12 ele kpɔdome fifia, kasia egado ɖe ablɔme xoxo eye wòdea xa ɖe dzogoe ɖe sia ɖe dzi.
At one time she is in the street, at another in the open places, and near every corner doth she lurk, )
13 Elé ɖekakpui la hegbugbɔ nu nɛ ŋɔnɔe eye wòɖo mo kplalaa gblɔ nɛ be,
And she caught hold of him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said to him,
14 “Ŋutifafavɔsa le aƒenye me, egbe mexe nye adzɔgbeɖefewo o,
“I had bound myself to bring peace-offerings; this day have I paid my vows:
15 eya ta medo be mava do go wò, medi wò eye meke ɖe ŋuwò!
Therefore am I come forth to meet thee, to seek thy presence diligently, and I have found thee.
16 Meɖo aklala biɖibiɖi ƒe abadzivɔ si wode amadede vovovowoe, esi wowɔ le Egipte la ɖe nye aba dzi.
With tapestry coverings have I decked my bed, with embroidered coverlids of the fine linen of Egypt.
17 Mewu lifi, anowɔtre kple ami ʋeʋĩ vovovowo ɖe nye aba dzi,
I have sprinkled my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 eya ta va, míano lɔlɔ̃ wòasu mí va se ɖe ŋdi, na míatsɔ lɔlɔ̃ ado vivi ɖe mía ɖokuiwo ŋu!
Come, let us indulge in love until the morning: let us delight ourselves with dalliances.
19 Nye aƒetɔ mele aƒe o, ezɔ mɔ didi aɖe.
For the man is not in his house, he is gone on a journey a great way off:
20 Etsɔ eƒe gakotoku si ga yɔ fũu la dzoe eye ne dzinu sɔ tegblẽ hafi wòagbɔ.”
The bag of money hath he taken with him, by the day of the new-moon festival only will he come home.”
21 Etsɔ amenublenya siawo blee eye wòtsɔ eƒe aɖe ŋanɛ la kplɔe trae.
She seduced him by the abundance of her reasoning: by the flattery of her lips she misguided him.
22 Etso zia enumake hekplɔe ɖo abe nyitsu wokplɔ yina wuwu ge alo abe zi si ɖo afɔ mɔ me ene.
He followed after her suddenly, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, and as in fetters to his correction, the fool:
23 Va se ɖe esime aŋutrɔ naƒo ɖe eƒe aklã, abe xevie dzo ɖe kamɔ dzi eye menyae be yeƒe ku le afi ma o la ene
Till an arrow cleaveth through his liver; as a bird hasteneth into the snare, and knoweth not that it is done to take his life.
24 eya ta azɔ la, vinyewo, miɖo tom eye miƒu to anyi ɖe nu si megblɔ la ŋu.
And now, O children, hearken unto me, and listen to the sayings of my mouth.
25 Migana miaƒe dzi natrɔ ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu loo, alo miatra age ɖe eƒe toƒewo o.
Let not thy heart turn aside to her ways, do not go astray on her paths.
26 Elabena ame siwo tsi esi me la sɔ gbɔ, eye ame siwo wòwu la de ha.
For many deadly wounded hath she caused to fall: yea, very numerous are all those slain by her.
