Lododowo 1
1 Israel fia Solomo, David ƒe vi ƒe lododowo nye esiawo:
Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 na nunya kple amehehe, na nya goglowo gɔmesese,
For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
3 hena agbe dzɔdzɔe kple agbe ɖevi nɔnɔ, be woawɔ nu si dzɔ, nu si le eteƒe kple nu si nyo,
For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
4 be ame gblɔewo nadze aɖaŋu eye woana nunya kple sidzedze sɔhɛwo,
For giving to simple ones — prudence, To a youth — knowledge and discretion.
5 nunyalawo neɖo to, ne woasrɔ̃ nu akpe ɖe esi wonya xoxo la ŋu eye ame siwo si sidzedze le xoxo la naxɔ aɖaŋu,
(The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)
6 be woase nunyalawo ƒe lododowo abebubuwo kple adzowo gɔme.
For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
7 Yehowa vɔvɔ̃e nye nunya ƒe gɔmedzedze, ke bometsilawo doa vlo nunya kple amehehe.
Fear of Jehovah [is] a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
8 Vinye, ɖo to fofowò ƒe nuxɔxlɔ̃ eye mègagbe nu le dawò ƒe nufiame gbɔ o.
Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,
9 Anye seƒoƒokuku aɖo atsyɔ̃ na wò ta kple kɔga anɔ kɔwò.
For a graceful wreath [are] they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.
10 Vinye, ne nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo le nuwò blem la, mègalɔ̃ na wo o.
My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.
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, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
12 ne míamii agbagbee abe tsiẽƒe ene, eye míamii blibo abe ame siwo ge dze ʋe globo me ene (Sheol h7585)
We swallow them as Sheol — alive, And whole — as those going down [to] the pit, (Sheol h7585)
13 ekema nu xɔasi vovovowo asu mía si eye míatsɔ afunyinuwo ayɔ míaƒe xɔwo mee
Every precious substance we find, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
14 eya ta de mía dzi ale be míana gakotoku ɖeka wò” la,
Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is — to all of us.'
15 vinye, mègakplɔ wo ɖo o, mègaka afɔ woƒe toƒewo o
My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,
16 elabena woƒe afɔ ɖea abla ɖe nu vɔ̃ ŋu eye wogona ɖe ʋukɔkɔɖi ŋu.
For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.
17 Enye movidzɔdzɔ be woaɖo ɖɔ ɖi na xeviwo le wo katã ƒe ŋkume!
Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
18 Ame siawo de xa ɖi na woawo ŋutɔ ƒe ʋu eye wole adeklo dzi ɖe woawo ŋutɔ ɖokuiwo ŋu!
And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly 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 paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.
20 Nunya le ɣli dom le mɔtata dzi eye wòkɔ gbe dzi le ƒuƒoƒewo.
Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,
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 multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:
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?
'Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools 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.
Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.
24 Ke esi miegbe tɔtɔ nam esi meyɔ mi, esi meke nye abɔwo me, mietsɔ ɖeke le eme o
Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
25 eye miedo toku nye aɖaŋuɖoɖowo, hegbe nye mokaname ta la,
And ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.
26 nye hã mako mi le miaƒe gbegblẽ ta eye maɖe alɔme le mia ŋu ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e ƒo ɖe mia dzi,
I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,
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 fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.
28 “Ekema woayɔm gake nyematɔ o, woadim gake womakpɔm o.
Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.
29 Le esi wolé fu sidzedze eye wometia Yehowavɔvɔ̃ o,
Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.
30 le esi wogbe nye aɖaŋuɖoɖo hedo vlo nye mokaname ta.
They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
31 Azɔ la woaɖu woƒe mɔwo ƒe kutsetse eye woƒe ɖoɖowo ƒe kutsetse aɖi ƒo na wo
And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.
32 elabena gegemewo ƒe afɔɖeɖe baɖawo awu wo eye bometsilawo ƒe ɖekematsɔleme atsrɔ̃ wo.
For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.
33 Ke ame sia ame si ɖoa tom la, anɔ agbe le dedinɔnɔ me eye aɖe dzi ɖi bɔkɔɔ, mavɔ̃ na dzɔgbevɔ̃e o.”
And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!'
