Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
Vinyewo, mise mia fofo ƒe nufiame; miɖo to ne miaxɔ gɔmesese.
2 for I give you sound learning. Do not forsake my law.
Nusɔsrɔ̃ deto mele mia nam eya ta migagbe nye nufiafia o.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
Esi menye ɖevi sue kple vi fɛ̃ le fofonye ƒe aƒe me kple vi ɖekɛ na danye la,
4 He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
efia num hegblɔ be, “Ku ɖe nye nyawo ŋu kple wò dzi katã, lé nye sededewo me ɖe asi ekema ànɔ agbe.
5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Do not forget, and do not deviate from the words of my mouth.
Dze nunya, di gɔmesese, mègaŋlɔ nye nyawo be alo aƒo asa na wo o.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
Mègagbe nu le nunya gbɔ o ekema adzɔ ŋuwò, lɔ̃e ekema akpɔ tawò.
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Nunya ƒo nuwo katã ta eya ta dze nunya. Togbɔ be wò nunɔamesiwo katã nàtsɔ aƒlee hã la, di gɔmesese.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
De asixɔxɔ eŋu ekema ado wò ɖe dzi, xɔe atuu ekema ade bubu ŋuwò.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
Atsɔ amenuveve aɖɔ na wò ta abe seƒoƒotsihe ene eye wòatsɔ atsyɔ̃fiakuku aɖɔ na wò.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
Ɖo to afii, vinye, ne nàxɔ nye nyawo, ekema wò agbenɔƒewo asɔ gbɔ fũu.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
Mele nunya ƒe mɔ fiam wò eye mekplɔ wò to toƒe dzɔdzɔewo.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
Ne èle zɔzɔm la, naneke maxe mɔ na wò afɔɖeɖewo o eye ne èsi du la, màkli nu o.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Do not let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
Lé nufiame ɖe asi, mègana wòado le asiwò o; dzɔ eŋuti nyuie elabena eyae nye agbe na wò.
14 Do not enter into the path of the wicked. Do not walk in the way of evil men.
Mègaka afɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe toƒewo alo nàzɔ ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ dzi o.
15 Avoid it, and do not pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Ƒo asa na woƒe mɔwo, mègazɔ wo dzi o, lé wò mɔ tsɔ nàyi afi si yim nèle
16 For they do not sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
elabena ne womewɔ nu vɔ̃ɖi o kpaa, womedɔa alɔ̃ o eye womedɔa akɔlɔ̃e teti hã o va se ɖe esime woana ame aɖe nadze anyi.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Woɖua vɔ̃ɖinyenye ƒe abolo eye wonoa nu sesẽ wɔwɔ ƒe wain.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
Ke ame dzɔdzɔewo ƒe toƒe le abe ŋdi kanya ƒe ɣetotoe ene, eklẽna, gaklẽna ɖe edzi ne ŋu ɖe le eme nyuie.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know what they stumble over.
Ke ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ƒe mɔ le abe viviti tsiɖitsiɖi ene eye womenya nu si na wole nu klim o.
20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
Vinye, lé to ɖe nye nyawo ŋu eye nàƒu to anyi ɖe nya si gblɔm mele la ŋu.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
Mègana woadzo le wò ŋkume o, ke boŋ dzra wo ɖo ɖe wò dzi me,
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
elabena wonye agbe na ame siwo ke ɖe wo ŋu kple dɔyɔyɔ na ame ƒe ŋutilã blibo la.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
Dzɔ wò dzi ŋu wu nuwo katã, elabena eyae nye agbe ƒe vudo.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Ɖe nya dzodzrowo ɖa le wò nu me, eye te aʋatsonyawo ɖa xaa tso wò nuyiwo gbɔ.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
Wò ŋkuwo nekpɔ ŋgɔ tẽe eye wò mo nelé mɔ ɖeka tsɔ le ŋgɔwò.
26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
Ɖe toƒe sɔsɔewo na wò afɔwo eye nàlé mɔ siwo dzi sẽ nyuie la ko atsɔ.
27 Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Mègadze ɖe ɖusime alo miame o, eye ɖe wò afɔ ɖa le vɔ̃ me.
