Lododowo 7
1 Vinye, lé nye nyawo me ɖe asi eye nàdzra nye sededewo ɖo ɖe mewò.
My son, keep my words. Lay up my mitzvot ·instructions· within you.
2 Lé nye sededewo me ɖe asi ekema ànɔ agbe eye dzɔ nye nufiamewo ŋuti abe wò gadaglamakui ene.
Obey my mitzvot ·instructions· and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Bla wo ɖe wò asibidɛwo ŋu eye nàŋlɔ wo ɖe wò dzi ƒe nuŋlɔkpe dzi.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Gblɔ na nunya be, “Nɔvinye nyɔnu nènye.” Eye nàyɔ ƒometɔ na gɔmesese,
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
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 you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 Mele nye xɔ ƒe fesrẽ nu, hekpɔ nu to fesrẽnuvɔ la me.
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 Mekpɔ ame aɖe le bebewuwo dome, mekpɔ ɖekakpui si tsi bome la le sɔhɛwo dome.
I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
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,
passing through the street near her corner, he went 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 middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 Tete nyɔnu aɖe do go va kpee, edo awu abe gbolo ene eye ayedzedze le mo nɛ.
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 Eƒe gbe le dzi dem, metsɔ ɖeke le eme na ame aɖeke o eye eƒe afɔwo gbe tɔtɔ ɖe aƒe me,
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12 ele kpɔdome fifia, kasia egado ɖe ablɔme xoxo eye wòdea xa ɖe dzogoe ɖe sia ɖe dzi.
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 Elé ɖekakpui la hegbugbɔ nu nɛ ŋɔnɔe eye wòɖo mo kplalaa gblɔ nɛ be,
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “Ŋutifafavɔsa le aƒenye me, egbe mexe nye adzɔgbeɖefewo o,
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 eya ta medo be mava do go wò, medi wò eye meke ɖe ŋuwò!
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 Meɖo aklala biɖibiɖi ƒe abadzivɔ si wode amadede vovovowoe, esi wowɔ le Egipte la ɖe nye aba dzi.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt [Abode of slavery].
17 Mewu lifi, anowɔtre kple ami ʋeʋĩ vovovowo ɖe nye aba dzi,
I have perfumed my bed 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’s take our fill of dod ·loving· until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 Nye aƒetɔ mele aƒe o, ezɔ mɔ didi aɖe.
For my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 Etsɔ eƒe gakotoku si ga yɔ fũu la dzoe eye ne dzinu sɔ tegblẽ hafi wòagbɔ.”
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 Etsɔ amenublenya siawo blee eye wòtsɔ eƒe aɖe ŋanɛ la kplɔe trae.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 Etso zia enumake hekplɔe ɖo abe nyitsu wokplɔ yina wuwu ge alo abe zi si ɖo afɔ mɔ me ene.
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
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
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and does not know that it will cost his life.
24 eya ta azɔ la, vinyewo, miɖo tom eye miƒu to anyi ɖe nu si megblɔ la ŋu.
Now therefore, sons, sh'ma ·hear obey· me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Migana miaƒe dzi natrɔ ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu loo, alo miatra age ɖe eƒe toƒewo o.
Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26 Elabena ame siwo tsi esi me la sɔ gbɔ, eye ame siwo wòwu la de ha.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
