Lododowo 1
1 Israel fia Solomo, David ƒe vi ƒe lododowo nye esiawo:
These are the (proverbs/wise sayings) that come from Solomon, the King of Israel, who was the son of [King] David.
2 na nunya kple amehehe, na nya goglowo gɔmesese,
(These proverbs [PRS] can teach people/By studying these proverbs, people can learn) how to be wise and how to obey what these proverbs teach them. They will [also] help people to understand which teachings are wise.
3 hena agbe dzɔdzɔe kple agbe ɖevi nɔnɔ, be woawɔ nu si dzɔ, nu si le eteƒe kple nu si nyo,
These proverbs [PRS] will teach you how to discipline/control yourselves, how to conduct your lives, and how to do what is right and just [DOU].
4 be ame gblɔewo nadze aɖaŋu eye woana nunya kple sidzedze sɔhɛwo,
They will show [people] who do not [yet] know much how to do things that are smart. They will show young people how to become wise and how to make good plans/decisions.
5 nunyalawo neɖo to, ne woasrɔ̃ nu akpe ɖe esi wonya xoxo la ŋu eye ame siwo si sidzedze le xoxo la naxɔ aɖaŋu,
Those who are wise should also pay attention [to these proverbs], in order to become more wise, and those who understand [these teachings] will receive good advice/guidance.
6 be woase nunyalawo ƒe lododowo abebubuwo kple adzowo gɔme.
Then they will be able to understand the meaning of proverbs and parables/metaphors, these wise sayings and (riddles/sayings that are difficult to understand).
7 Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye nunya ƒe gɔmedzedze, ke bometsilawo doa vlo nunya kple amehehe.
If [you want to be] wise, you must begin by revering Yahweh. [Only] foolish people despise wisdom and good advice/discipline.
8 Vinye, ɖo to fofowò ƒe nuxɔxlɔ̃ eye mègagbe nu le dawò ƒe nufiame gbɔ o.
My son, pay attention to what [I], your father, am teaching you. And do not reject what your mother teaches you.
9 Anye seƒoƒokuku aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò ta kple kɔga anɔ kɔwò.
What we teach you [will make you respected like having] a lovely turban around your head and [like] a [beautiful] necklace to put around your neck.
10 Vinye, ne nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo le nuwò blem la, mègalɔ̃ na wo o.
My son, if sinners tempt/entice you [to do what is wrong], say “No” to them.
11 Ne wogblɔ na wò be, “Va kplɔ mí ɖo, na míade xa ɖe ame aɖe ƒe ʋu ŋuti, na míanɔ xame na luʋɔ maɖifɔ aɖe,
They may say, “Come with us! Join us! We will hide and then kill [MTY] someone [who passes by]. We will ambush some helpless/innocent people.
12 ne míamii agbagbee abe tsiẽƒe ene, eye míamii blibo abe ame siwo ge dze ʋe globo me ene (Sheol h7585)
We will kill them [HYP] and get rid of them completely, [just] like [people who are buried in] graves are gone forever. While they are in good health, we will send them to the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
13 ekema nu xɔasi vovovowo asu mía si eye míatsɔ afunyinuwo ayɔ míaƒe xɔwo mee
And we will seize all the things that they own. We will fill our houses with these things!
14 eya ta de mía dzi ale be míana gakotoku ɖeka wò” la,
[So], come with us! Join our group! We will share with you the things that we steal.”
15 vinye, mègakplɔ wo ɖo o, mègaka afɔ woƒe toƒewo o
My son, do not accompany them! Do not walk on the roads with them!
16 elabena woƒe afɔ ɖea abla ɖe nu vɔ̃ ŋu eye wogona ɖe ʋukɔkɔɖi ŋu.
They rush to do evil deeds! They hurry to murder [MTY] people.
17 Enye movidzɔdzɔ be woaɖo ɖɔ ɖi na xeviwo le wo katã ƒe ŋkume!
It is useless to put out a (trap/net to catch a bird) because when a bird sees it, [it stays away from it].
18 Ame siawo de xa ɖi na woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ʋu eye wole adeklo dzi ɖe woawo ŋutɔ ɖokuiwo ŋu!
But those wicked people are not like the birds, [because they do not realize] that when they prepare to ambush someone to kill him, they will be killed themselves!
19 Aleae ame siwo tia viɖe ƒoɖi yome la ƒe nuwuwu anɔ, elabena eɖea ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la ƒe agbe ɖa.
That is what happens to people who eagerly try to get things [by violently attacking others]. They will only destroy themselves!
20 Nunya le ɣli dom le mɔtata dzi eye wòkɔ gbe dzi le ƒuƒoƒewo.
Wisdom [PRS] shouts to people in the streets, and calls out to people in the (plazas/town squares).
21 Ele ɣli dom le mɔtata siwo dzi zinyenye le la ƒe dzogoewo dzi eye wòle eƒe nyawo gblɔm le dua ƒe agbowo me be,
Wisdom calls out in noisy places, and at the entrances to cities.
22 “Va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi mi gegemewo mialɔ̃ bometsinuwɔwɔ? Va se ɖe ɣe ka yi fewuɖulawo akpɔ dzidzɔ le fewuɖuɖu ŋu, bometsilawo alé fu sidzedze?
[Wisdom says], “How long will you stupid people continue to enjoy doing foolish things [RHQ]? How long will you people who ridicule God enjoy doing that [RHQ]? How long will you foolish people refuse to know [what things are right] [RHQ]?
23 Ne ɖe mietrɔ ɖe nye mokaname ŋu la, anye ne metrɔ nye dzi kɔ ɖe anyi na mi eye mena mienya nye susuwo.
If you pay attention to me when I rebuke you, I will tell you what I am thinking in my inner being; I will give you some good advice.
24 Ke esi miegbe tɔtɔ nam esi meyɔ mi, esi meke nye abɔwo me, mietsɔ ɖeke le eme o
But when I called to you, you refused to listen. I beckoned to you to come to me, but you ignored me.
25 eye miedo toku nye aɖaŋuɖoɖowo, hegbe nye mokaname ta la,
I tried to advise you, but you refused to listen to me. I tried to correct you, but you rejected what I told you.
26 nye hã mako mi le miaƒe gbegblẽ ta eye maɖe alɔme le mia ŋu ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe mia dzi,
So [now], when you are experiencing troubles/disasters, I will laugh at you. When things happen that cause you to be afraid, I will make fun of you.
27 ɛ̃, ne eƒo ɖe mia dzi abe ahom sesẽ ene, gbegblẽ hã zɔ to mia dzi abe yali ene, eye xaxa kple hiã va mia dzi kpoyi!
When calamities strike you like a big storm, when disasters hit you like a violent wind, when [all kinds of things] distress you and give you trouble, [I will ridicule you!]
28 “Ekema woayɔm gake nyematɔ o, woadim gake womakpɔm o.
[Wisdom also says], “When foolish people call to me [to help them], I will not answer them. They will search for me diligently/everywhere, but they will not find me.
29 Le esi wolé fu sidzedze eye wometia Yehowavɔvɔ̃ o,
They refused to know [what things are right], and they decided not to revere Yahweh.
30 le esi wogbe nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo hedo vlo nye mokaname ta.
They would not accept my advice, and they did not pay attention when I tried to correct them.
31 Azɔ la woaɖu woƒe mɔwo ƒe kutsetse eye woƒe ɖoɖowo ƒe kutsetse aɖi ƒo na wo
So they will endure what will result [MET, DOU] from the evil way they have lived/behaved and the evil things they have planned to do.
32 elabena gegemewo ƒe afɔɖeɖe baɖawo awu wo eye bometsilawo ƒe ɖekematsɔleme atsrɔ̃ wo.
Those who turn away from me are stupid/foolish; they will die because of doing that.
33 Ke ame sia ame si ɖoa tom la, anɔ agbe le dedinɔnɔ me eye aɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ, mavɔ̃ na dzɔgbevɔ̃e o.”
But those who pay attention to me will live peacefully and safely, and they will not be afraid that something will harm them.”
