Lododowo 1
1 Israel fia Solomo, David ƒe vi ƒe lododowo nye esiawo:
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.
2 na nunya kple amehehe, na nya goglowo gɔmesese,
These proverbs are to teach wisdom and instruction, to teach words of insight,
3 hena agbe dzɔdzɔe kple agbe ɖevi nɔnɔ, be woawɔ nu si dzɔ, nu si le eteƒe kple nu si nyo,
that you may receive instruction in order to live by doing what is right, just, and fair.
4 be ame gblɔewo nadze aɖaŋu eye woana nunya kple sidzedze sɔhɛwo,
These proverbs are also to give wisdom to the naive, and to give knowledge and discretion to young people.
5 nunyalawo neɖo to, ne woasrɔ̃ nu akpe ɖe esi wonya xoxo la ŋu eye ame siwo si sidzedze le xoxo la naxɔ aɖaŋu,
Let wise people listen and increase their learning, and let discerning people get guidance,
6 be woase nunyalawo ƒe lododowo abebubuwo kple adzowo gɔme.
to understand proverbs, sayings, and words of wise people and their riddles.
7 Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye nunya ƒe gɔmedzedze, ke bometsilawo doa vlo nunya kple amehehe.
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge— fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Vinye, ɖo to fofowò ƒe nuxɔxlɔ̃ eye mègagbe nu le dawò ƒe nufiame gbɔ o.
My son, hear the instruction of your father and do not lay aside the rules of your mother;
9 Anye seƒoƒokuku aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò ta kple kɔga anɔ kɔwò.
they will be a graceful wreath for your head and pendants hanging from your neck.
10 Vinye, ne nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo le nuwò blem la, mègalɔ̃ na wo o.
My son, if sinners try to entice you into their sin, refuse to follow 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,
If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide and attack innocent people for no reason.
12 ne míamii agbagbee abe tsiẽƒe ene, eye míamii blibo abe ame siwo ge dze ʋe globo me ene (Sheol h7585)
Let us swallow them up alive, like Sheol takes away those who are healthy, and make them like those who fall into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 ekema nu xɔasi vovovowo asu mía si eye míatsɔ afunyinuwo ayɔ míaƒe xɔwo mee
We shall find all kinds of valuable things; we will fill our houses with what we steal from others.
14 eya ta de mía dzi ale be míana gakotoku ɖeka wò” la,
Throw in your lot with us; we will all have one purse together.”
15 vinye, mègakplɔ wo ɖo o, mègaka afɔ woƒe toƒewo o
My son, do not walk down that road with them; do not let your foot touch where they walk;
16 elabena woƒe afɔ ɖea abla ɖe nu vɔ̃ ŋu eye wogona ɖe ʋukɔkɔɖi ŋu.
their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood.
17 Enye movidzɔdzɔ be woaɖo ɖɔ ɖi na xeviwo le wo katã ƒe ŋkume!
For it is useless to spread the net in the sight of any bird.
18 Ame siawo de xa ɖi na woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ʋu eye wole adeklo dzi ɖe woawo ŋutɔ ɖokuiwo ŋu!
These men lie in wait for their own blood— they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Aleae ame siwo tia viɖe ƒoɖi yome la ƒe nuwuwu anɔ, elabena eɖea ame siwo ƒe asi su edzi la ƒe agbe ɖa.
So are the ways of everyone who gains riches by injustice; unjust gain takes away the lives of those who hold on to it.
20 Nunya le ɣli dom le mɔtata dzi eye wòkɔ gbe dzi le ƒuƒoƒewo.
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the open places;
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,
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, at the entrance of the city gates she speaks,
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?
“How long, you naive people, will you love being naive? How long, you mockers, will you delight in mockery, and how long, you fools, will you hate knowledge?
23 Ne ɖe mietrɔ ɖe nye mokaname ŋu la, anye ne metrɔ nye dzi kɔ ɖe anyi na mi eye mena mienya nye susuwo.
Pay attention to my correction; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you.
24 Ke esi miegbe tɔtɔ nam esi meyɔ mi, esi meke nye abɔwo me, mietsɔ ɖeke le eme o
I have called, and you have refused to listen; I reached out with my hand, but there was no one who paid attention.
25 eye miedo toku nye aɖaŋuɖoɖowo, hegbe nye mokaname ta la,
But you have ignored all my instruction and paid no attention to my correction.
26 nye hã mako mi le miaƒe gbegblẽ ta eye maɖe alɔme le mia ŋu ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe mia dzi,
I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when the terror comes—
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 your fearful dread comes like a storm and disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Ekema woayɔm gake nyematɔ o, woadim gake womakpɔm o.
Then they will call upon me, and I will not answer; they will desperately call for me, but they will not find me.
29 Le esi wolé fu sidzedze eye wometia Yehowavɔvɔ̃ o,
Because they hate knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 le esi wogbe nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo hedo vlo nye mokaname ta.
they would not follow my instruction, and they despised all my correction.
31 Azɔ la woaɖu woƒe mɔwo ƒe kutsetse eye woƒe ɖoɖowo ƒe kutsetse aɖi ƒo na wo
They will eat the fruit of their ways, and with the fruit of their schemes they will be filled.
32 elabena gegemewo ƒe afɔɖeɖe baɖawo awu wo eye bometsilawo ƒe ɖekematsɔleme atsrɔ̃ wo.
For the naive are killed when they turn away, and the indifference of fools will destroy them.
33 Ke ame sia ame si ɖoa tom la, anɔ agbe le dedinɔnɔ me eye aɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ, mavɔ̃ na dzɔgbevɔ̃e o.”
But whoever listens to me will live in safety and will rest secure with no fear of disaster.”
