Lododowo 6
1 Vinye, ne ède megbe na wò aƒelika, eye nèsi akpe tsɔ do ŋugbee na ame tutɔ,
My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbour, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 ne ŋugbe si nèdo zu mɔ me nèɖo eye wò numenyawo bla wò la,
you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
3 ekema vinye, wɔ esia ne nàtsɔ aɖe ɖokuiwòe, esi nège ɖe hawòvi ƒe asi me ta. Yi nàbɔbɔ ɖokuiwò, ɖe kuku na hawòvi la amenubletɔe!
Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbour. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbour.
4 Wò ŋkuwo megadɔ alɔ̃ o eye wò aɖaba megadɔ akɔlɔ̃e o.
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Ɖe ɖokuiwò le eƒe asi me abe ale si sãde sina le adela ƒe asi me ene alo abe ale si xevi dona le xevimɔtrela ƒe kamɔ mee ene.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Wò, kuviatɔ, yi anyidi gbɔ; kpɔ eƒe mɔwo ɖa, eye nàdze nunya!
Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
7 Gbeɖela loo dzikpɔla alo dziɖula aɖeke mele esi o,
which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 gake le dzomeŋɔli la eƒoa eƒe nuhiahiãwo nu ƒu eye wòƒoa eƒe nuɖuɖu nu ƒu le nuŋeɣi.
provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 Wò, kuviatɔ va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi nàmlɔ afi ma? Ɣe ka ɣi nànyɔ tso alɔ̃ me?
How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 Dɔ alɔ̃ vie, dɔ akɔlɔ̃e sẽe, ŋlɔ wò abɔwo nàdzudzɔ vie,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 tete ahedada aƒo ɖe dziwò abe adzodala ene eye hiã abe aʋakalẽtɔ si bla akpa ene.
so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 Yakame kple ame baɖa si le yiyim kple alakpadada,
A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 le ŋku tem, tsɔ afɔ le dzesi fiam eye wòtsɔ eƒe asi le nya gblɔmii,
who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14 ame si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖi, beble le eƒe dzi me, eye ɣe sia ɣi wòdea dzre aƒe la
in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15 eya ta gbegblẽ aƒo ɖe edzi kpoyi eye woatsrɔ̃ eya amea zi ɖeka, naneke maɖee le eme o.
Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 Nu adree Yehowa tsri, eye nu adree nye nu siwo wònyɔa ŋui:
There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 dadaŋkuwo, alakpaɖe, asi siwo kɔa ʋu maɖifɔ ɖi,
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 dzi si ɖoa nu vɔ̃ɖiwo, afɔ siwo ɖea abla ɖe vɔ̃wɔwɔ ŋuti
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 aʋatsoɖaseɖila si kɔa alakpa ɖi, kple ŋutsu si dea dzre nɔviwo dome.
a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord amongst brothers.
20 Vinye, lé fofowò ƒe sededewo me ɖe asi eye mègagblẽ dawò ƒe nufiame ɖi o.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bla wo ɖe wò dzi ŋuti tegbee eye nàsae ɖe wò kɔ ŋuti.
Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22 Ne èle zɔzɔm la, woafia mɔ wò, ne èle alɔ̃ dɔm la, woadzɔ ŋuwò eye ne ènyɔ la, woaƒo nu na wò
When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 elabena sedede siawo nye akaɖi, nufiafia sia nye kekeli eye ɖɔɖɔɖo si amehehe hena vɛ la nye agbe ƒe mɔ,
For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 esi aɖe wò tso nyɔnu ahasitɔ ƒe asi me kple srɔ̃nyɔnu dzego la ƒe aɖe ŋanɛ ƒe asi me.
to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 Eƒe tugbedzedze megana eƒe nu nadzro wò le wò dzi me alo nàna eƒe ŋku mawo nalé wò o,
Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 elabena gbolo aɖi gbɔ̃ wò, nànɔ abe abolo ko ene eye nyɔnu ahasitɔ aɖe agbe le mewò.
For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe aɖe dzo ɖe atata eye eƒe awuwo nagbe fiafia?
Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burnt?
28 Ɖe ŋutsu aɖe azɔ le dzoka xɔxɔ dzi eye eƒe afɔwo nagbe fiafia?
Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 Nenemae wòanɔ na ŋutsu si dɔna kple ŋutsu bubu srɔ̃, womagbe tohehe na ame si ka asi eŋuti o.
So is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 Womedoa vlo fiafitɔ ne efi fi be wòatsɔ atsi eƒe dɔwuame nu, ne dɔ la ewum o
Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
31 gake ne wolée la, ele nɛ be wòaɖo nua teƒe zi adre, esia ana eƒe kesinɔnu siwo katã le esi le eƒe aƒe me la navɔ le esi.
but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
32 Ke ame si wɔ ahasi kple srɔ̃tɔ la mebua ta me o eye ame si wɔnɛ la gblẽa eɖokui dome.
He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 Ƒoƒo kple kɔ kple vlododo nye etɔ gome eye womaɖe eƒe ŋukpe ɖa akpɔ gbeɖe o
He will get wounds and dishonour. His reproach will not be wiped away.
34 elabena ŋuʋaʋã ana srɔ̃ŋutsu ƒe dɔmedzoe nafla eye ne ele hlɔ̃ biam la, makpɔ nublanui o.
For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Maxɔ avulénu aɖeke o, eye maxɔ zãnu aɖeke hã o, aleke gbegbee wòloloe hã.
He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
